Is The Netherlands’ Marijuana Policy Been A Failure?

Some individuals think that the marijuana laws in the Netherlands, which allow anyone over 18 to use, sell, or purchase marijuana openly, has significantly increased marijuana’s use in the country. Those folks therefore consider the policy a failure.

Here is a policy explanation and why this statement is not accurate. The Dutch Parliament decriminalized the retail sale and cannabis possession in 1976. This was accomplished after the recommendation of two national commissions. Marijuana was not completely legalized, it simply allowed coffee shops to sell it without resulting prosecution.

They are not complicated rules. The minimum age to purchase marijuana is 18, no advertising is permitted, and a five gram limit is placed on indiviidual transactions. Coffee shops may not sell illicit drugs on the premises. There are over one thousand coffee shops in the country where people can purchase hashish and marijuana.

What compelled the Netherlands to permit marijuana’s sale in coffee shops? One reason was to reduce the likelihood of having pot users exposed to harder drugs like cocaine or heroin if it stayed illegal. Another reason was to take away the youth rebellion stigma with marijuana being an illegal drug.

Scare tactic drug programs are not incorporated in the Netherlands. Education provided to the younger population includes drug danger cautionary warnings and overall drug information.

Evaluating the marijuana use statistics between the US and the Netherlands overall, 31% of Americans have tried marijuana and 28% of the Dutch. Looking at older teens, 38% of Americans have tried marijuana versus 29% of the Dutch. It’s very interesting to see that once teens reach legal age in the Netherlands they are 9% less likely to use marijuana than in the US.

Less Dutch adolescents use other illegal drugs than Americans. During the mid 1990′s, Dutch teens were 5 times less likely than American teens to try cocaine. The Dutch appear to have successfully separated marijuana from harder drugs.

The Dutch policy has broad support. The citizens overwhelmingly approve of the law which strives to normalize rather than dramatize marijuana use. Quite the opposite of a dramatic failure, it’s been quite the success.

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