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Marijuana Myths, Claim No. 14

DUTCH MARIJUANA POLICY HAS BEEN A FAILURE

While American critics of marijuana prohibition often point to the Netherlands as a model for an alternative policy, prohibition's supporters claim that country's permissiveness has had disastrous consequences, including escalating rates of drug use among youth.

THE FACTS

In 1976, following the recommendations of two national commissions, the Dutch government revised many aspects of its drug policy. While not legalizing marijuana, it adopted an "expediency principle," which directed police and prosecutors to ignore retail sale to adults as long as the circumstances of the sale do not constitute a public nuisance.

This change in policy was based on several factors, including:

a principle of tolerance toward alternative lifestyles

a finding that, compared to other illegal drugs, marijuana poses little risk to users

a desire to protect marijuana users from the marginalization that accompanies arrest and prosecution

a belief that separating the retail markets for "soft" and "hard" drugs decreases the likelihood that marijuana users will experiment with cocaine or heroin

Since liberalization, marijuana use has increased in the Netherlands, although rates remain similar to those in neighboring European countries, and are generally lower than those in the United States.

MARIJUANA USE AMONG DUTCH YOUTH (ages 12-18) ⁸⁸

	ever used	past month

1984	4.8%		2.3%
1988	8.0		3.1
1992	13.6		6.5

	ever used	past month

1985	23.6%		12.0%
1988	17.4		6.4
1993	11.7		4.9

	ever used	past month

1985	54.2%		25.7%
1988	47.2		18.0
1993	35.3		15.5

While marijuana use-rates have increased in the Netherlands, cocaine use-rates have not - indicating that separation of the "hard" and "soft" drug markets has prevented a "gateway effect" from developing. In 1992, about 1.5% of 12 to 18 year-olds had ever tried cocaine and only .3% had used it in the past month. ⁹¹

Although there are some Dutch critics of that country's liberalized marijuana policy, the government's official position remains steadfastly supportive of the 1976 initiative that decriminalized possession and retail. ⁹²

[Endnotes]