Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said that the sale and use of cocaine and other drugs in the Netherlands should not be a criminal offense. She called the fight against drugs “perverted and counterproductive.”
In an interview with Financieele Dagblad newspaper, Halsema stressed that drug markets must be regulated to undermine the income model of “unscrupulous criminals”.
At the same time, the mayor explains that he is not in favor of the “hasty legalization” of cocaine, but in favor of its regulation. In particular, this is already happening in the Dutch government’s pilot project on growing cannabis, where it is legally supplied to cafes.
“About 80% of our police resources are spent on fighting drug-related crimes. In the Netherlands and Belgium, street prices for cocaine have remained unchanged for years. Therefore, we can only conclude that the incredible effort has not affected the market,” Halsema said.
She is among a “growing group of scientists and administrators” who believe the “war on drugs” is no less harmful than the drugs themselves.
As you know, the Netherlands was a pioneer in the decriminalization of marijuana use, starting in the 1970s. In the country, people are not punished for consuming and selling small amounts of marijuana, but its commercial cultivation is still prohibited.