Dutch drugs policy references

The main aim of Dutch drugs policy is to protect the health of
individual users, the people around them and society as a whole. Priority is given to vulnerable groups, and to young people in particular. Policy also aims to restrict both the demand for and supply of drugs. Active policies on care and prevention are being pursued to reduce the demand for drugs, while a war is being waged on organised crime in an attempt to curb supplies. A third aim of policy is to tackle drug-related nuisance and to maintain public order. The
Netherlands now has twenty years' experience of working with
these policies on drugs.

Government responsibilities: The following ministries bear joint responsibility for drugs policy, which the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport coordinates.

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for enforcement, i.e. for investigations and prosecutions. http://www.minjust.nl:8080

The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport is responsible for policy on prevention and care.

Ministry of Health Welfare and Sport Questions and Answers about Dutch Drug Policy (PDF format) http://www.minvws.nl/documents/qadrugs.pdf

Progress Report on the Dutch Drug Policy 1999 - 2001 (PDF format) www.minvws.nl/documents/gvm/Rapport/drugs-progress-eng.pdf

Progress Report on the Dutch Drug Policy 1997 - 1999 (PDF format) http://www.minvws.nl/documents/progre_1.pdf

Matters relating to local government and the police are the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. At municipal level policy is coordinated in the tripartite consultations between the mayor, the chief public prosecutor and the chief of police. http://www.minbzk.nl/

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates international cooperation on justice and police matters relating to drugs. http://www.minbuza.nl/English/

Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs Q & A About Cannabis Policy 2000 (PDF format) http://www.minbuza.nl/OriginalDocuments/c_3539.pdf

Research on Dutch drug use rates: The Trimbos Institute http://www.trimbos.nl/indexuk.html

Trimbos Institute fact sheet on Dutch cannabis policy: http://www.trimbos.nl/ukfsheet/cannabis-uk.html

Trimbos Institute fact sheet on Dutch drug and alcohol education: http://www.trimbos.nl/ukfsheet/fc5uk.html

CEDRO Centre for Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Amsterdam http://www.cedro-uva.org/

CEDRO Centre for Drug and Alcohol Research Drug Use Statistics http://www.cedro-uva.org/stats/

"Licit and illicit drug use in Amsterdam III. Developments in drug use 1987 - 1997" Amsterdam: CEDRO. (PDF file, 473 Kb) http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/abraham.prvasd97.pdf

"Licit and Illicit Drug Use in the Netherlands 1997" (PDF file http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/abraham.npo97.pdf

The prevalence of illicit drug use in the general population and in schools, as monitored by a number of different methods http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/langemeijer.prevalence.html

Places of drug purchase in The Netherlands (PDF) http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/abraham.places.pdf

Patterns of cannabis use in Amsterdam among experienced cannabis users http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/sas.patterns.html

The Impact of Urban Residency and Lifestyle on Illicit Drug Use in the Netherlands http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/abraham.impact.html

Shifting the main purposes of drug control: From suppression to regulation of use. Reduction of risks as the new focus for drug policy (PDF) http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/cohen.shifting.pdf

Debate Wanted About Legalisation of Drugs (PDF) http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/stel.debat.en.pdf

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Published on: 2003-03-09 (3195 reads)