Regulated drug market in Amsterdam: Mayor calls for rethinking

Regulated drug market in Amsterdam: Mayor calls for rethinking

The Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, supports the introduction of a regulated market for drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy in the Dutch capital. According to Halsema, this is the only way to combat drug smuggling and its negative effects. In an interview with the AFP news agency, she emphasized that the previous "war against drugs" had been unsuccessful and the police in Amsterdam were 80 percent concerned with combating drug crime.

The mayor emphasized that although they considered some drugs to be dangerous and reducing consumption, the previous measures were not effective. She proposed to think about alternative ways to regulate drugs, including a regulated market for cocaine and ecstasy. In doing so, she asked whether it would not make more sense to steer drug trafficking into legal paths instead of leaving it to the criminals.

The controversial attitude of Femke Halsema is also questioned by critics such as the mayor of Antwerp, Bart de Wever. Nevertheless, Halsema invited city representatives and experts to a conference in Amsterdam at the end of January to discuss how cities can regulate drug trafficking. She emphasized that in her opinion there was no alternative to effectively reduce the influence of drug dealers.

The discussion about a regulated drug market, as proposed by the mayor, raises important questions about the effects on crime, health protection and social stability. It remains to be seen how this idea will be included in Dutch politics and society and whether it could possibly have an impact on other European cities.