From: [r--h] at [weeds.xs4all.nl] (Richard v.d. Horst) Newsgroups: alt.drugs,talk.politics.drugs,alt.drugs.pot,alt.drugs.psychedelics Subject: Found the Dutch legalization proposal... Date: Sun, 23 Oct 1994 21:22:00 PST Ok, I now have the report on legalization made by the union of highly placed policemen, Dutch healthcare workers and business officials. The actual report was written by eight persons. I'll hereby post the index, description of the working group and a summary of the information. Later on I'll probably post more about the medical and juridical consequences if people are interested, and if I suddenly feel the urge I might even translate the whole thing for you. Well, here's the first part, enjoy... -Richard DRUG CONTROL BY MEANS OF LEGALIZATION -A plan for regulation of the drug problem- INDEX Summing-up Chapter 1 : The urgency of legalization Chapter 2 : The Netherlands can legalize independently Chapter 3 : Distribution softdrugs Chapter 4 : Distribution other drugs Chapter 5 : Drug use after legalization Chapter 6 : Notion of criminality after legalization Conclusion Appendices: a. Drugs : What are they and which effects do they have. : How addictive are they b. Drug prohibition : The costs of criminating c. Distribution : The medical alternative d. Relief work : The results of legalization e. Distribution : A model of costs and prizes ..... The working party which has redacted this nota consists of the following persons: 1. mr R. Dufour, Agency Ecostad b.v., member Inittiative party Drugsdiscussion, redaction 2. J. van der Haar, General secretary Arta- National centre for addict care; vice-chairman Dutch association of institutions for addict-care (NeVIV) 3. mr. R. van der Hoeven, Public Prosecutor in Rotterdam 4. M. Lap, Dutch Institute for Alcohol and Drugs (NIAD) 5. F. Polak, Psychiatrist, drugs department GG&GD in Amsterdam 6. T. Reitsma, Superintendent of Police in Rotterdam-Rijnmond 7. ir. R. Steinbuch, Staff member Akzo-Nobel; treasurer Community of Interests Drug users MDHG in Amsterdam 8. ir. G.J. Verhoef, Deputy director Dutch association of institutions for addict-care (NeVIV). All join the working group _on_personal_title_. This is the first version of the nota. In the next months the nota will be handed to persons and institutions for comment. The working group has the idea to publish a second version afterwards, in which the comments are processed. Utrecht/Heemstede, September 1994. ..... SUMMING-UP Chapter 1 : The urgency of legalization Drug addiction is in size only 7% of alcohol addiction. The criminality due to the _drug_prohibition_ is nevertheless enormous: 50% of the jail cells are occupied by drug delinquents. The growing criminality threatens to flood the society. Fighting against criminality with the traditional method is unfeasible. The reason is the drug prohibition: gold mine and motor of crime. Chapter 2: The Netherlands can legalize independently International treaties nor international political pressure are in the way of factual legalization in the Netherlands with the opportuneness principle (non-prosecution). Our land will not become a magnet for drug tourists, and the remaining illegal export can be fought better than now. Chapter 3: Distribution softdrugs The Netherlands has 15 years experience with the semi-legal sale of softdrugs. This hasn't resulted in an invasion of drug tourists, nor in more consumption or problematic use than in foreign countries. Therefore the step to legalization is small. A National Drugsbureau will be founded, which will control the production and sale by about 1500 coffeeshops. Sale is free to people over 18 or 16 years old. The prices will only slightly decrease. Chapter 4: Distribution other drugs For the other drugs the National Drugbureau will found about 150 drug-shops. The personnel will get a fixed income from the Bureau, the shops are non-profit. For every kind of drug there will be a fixed maximum one is allowed to buy per week. When one wants more one has to go to relief workers. These only check if there's no illegal reselling, advises about safe(r) use, and determines the by the user requested higher limit for him personally. Every citizen can get a drug-pass with which he can buy the drugs within the normal maximum amounts. The drug-pass is a non-transferable chipcard with which, respecting the privacy protection rules, the use is registered. The drug-pass opposes a flood of drug tourists. The prizes drop to a normal economic level: for about f10-20 a day one is done. With this, the obtaining-criminality will be history. Chapter 5 : Drug use after legalization Properties of the current market: -consumption urge (market pressure) -unreliability -high prizes Scenario-A: only legalization of softdrugs Scenario-B: also: provision of harddrugs to the 21.000 drug addicts. Scenario-C: complete legalization Conclusion: -complete legalization with the proposed system hardly influences the consumption. Negative and positive results neutralize each other. The health situation of the users improves, as well as the possibility for addressed education. -Only taxing the drugs raises at least f150 million a year for the government; -A campaign for less and safer drug use can be financed with this. The campaign of dr. Meinsma decreased smoking by half. Chapter 6 : Notion of criminality after legalization Drug criminality consists of production, trade and use. The direct results of legalization are traced for scenario A, B and C. Conclusion: complete legalization will give the following result: -most of the jail space for traders and users will be freed; -because the cell shortage will disappear, the other criminality will drop by 10-20%; -by doubling the capacity of police and justice, another drop; -expected: 50-80% drop of total criminality. Yearly "health profit": -Now 200-300 violent killings a year; of which 30-50% because of drug trade; with 50% decrease: 100-150 less murders a year. -Now 3000 grievous violent crimes a year; of which 1500-2000 by gangs; with 50% decrease: 1500 less grievous batterings. Yearly profit for the society: at least f4-6 milliard. --- Please send information about drug prices for the Drug Price report to me, <[r--h] at [weeds.hacktic.nl]>. Anonymous mailing is possible by sending to (not supported by all mail processors), or to <[anon clear] at [charcoal.com]> or <[a--n] at [anon.penet.fi]> with a headerline "X-Anon-To: [r--h] at [weeds.hacktic.nl]".