netherlands
As the European union begins to bring all European countries together, it is of the greatest importance that all countries agree on various aspects of everyday life. It is important that these member countries agree on laws, policies, and other such aspects that could affect the overall integration of the union. As the Netherlands holds its role as possibly the most liberal nation in the world, coupled with its overwhelmingly positive international image, it would be hard for anyone to see their policies or procedures causing any kind of disruption among the European countries. But, as the EU tries to smooth any apparent differences that exist among its members it is Holland's policy on drugs that appears a stumbling block to their integration of all common laws. The Netherlands drug policy has also caused problems in their society that has caused many to call for a tightening of the legislation, and a tougher stand on drugs.For 20 years now the Netherlands has administered a policy on drugs that sees the legalization of soft drugs such as cannabis in their society, a policy that is frowned upon by other EU member countries as being irresponsible and foolish. The legalization of soft drugs has caused its problem
McCaffrey's office then published a document titled Facts About Drugs and Crime in the Netherlands, which consisted of various newspaper quotes(4). However, the Netherlands recognizes that certain policy measures, such as the criminalization of users, can produce undesired side effects. One such incident came one week before United States Drug Czar Barry R. The reality is that the Dutch policy has been a success in their own county, whether it would reap the same benefits in any other country is yet to be seen, but change must take place in these countries to deal with the ever growing threat of drug abuse in our society today. In reading different articles I found that personal opinions varied as to the views of the Dutch drug policy, some condemning it while others praising it. The problem with the Netherlands drug policy do not stop at the society level however as a recent General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels agreed, without debate to adopt an anti-drug strategy for the 2000-2004 period (2). The trafficking of heroin and cocaine in Europe has for a long time used Holland as a main supply route and their drug policy has subsequently facilitated the hard-drug barons who make Amsterdam and Rotterdam their bases. 8 Needle-exchange programmes are not the answer, The Lancet; London: Mar 13, 1999; Joan Bellm9 Dazed and confused: Smoke and mirrors over Dutch drug policy; Foreign Affairs Journal; New York; Nov/Dec 199; Joris Vos. 8 per 10,000 inhabitants in 1995, a rate that corresponds to 2,771 incidences of murd!er. Basing a drug policy on the concept of risk limitation opens up the possibility of weighing the desired and undesired effects of policy measures against one another. Although they have handled cannabis in a harm-reducing way- the Dutch now use fewer soft drugs and hard drugs than any of the other EU countries-(1) it hasn't stopped the Netherlands from being a crossroads in Europe for the trafficking of hard drugs. The majority though, seemed to praise the policy, and saw it as a blueprint for every country to follow in the war against drugs. Although the Netherlands fairly relaxed drug laws do not promote drug abuse outright it has to be said that the ease of access to certain drugs does not make it easier for cases of abuse to occur. In reality, there were 273 murders known to the Dutch police in 1995, which yields a murder rate only 1/10 of that claimed by McCaffrey and well below that of the United States.
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