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As the mayor of Amsterdam, I can see the Netherlands risks becoming a narco-state | Femke Halsema | The Guardian

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We’re proud of our health-led drugs policy, but the rise of the global illegal drugs trade means we need international solutions I n the Netherlands, we used to look on the international “war on drugs” with a certain amount of disdain. Its solutions were prohibition, criminalisation, stiff penalties and sentences; our national drug policy, on the other hand, focused for decades on reducing the health risks for users – and was relatively successful. We are lenient on soft drugs such as cannabis, allowing for personal use under specific conditions. Hard drugs are technically illegal, but possession of small amounts (like half a gram of hard drugs or one ecstasy pill) is often not prosecuted. Police cracked down on the largest drug traffickers, who mainly operated locally. There was drug crime and even killings, but these remained traceable and largely manageable. Drug trafficking hardly affected our economy or daily life. That is no longer the case. Spurred on by globalisation and the in

Customs employees in the port of Rotterdam, which has become a global transit hub for cocaine. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Customs employees in the port of Rotterdam, which has become a global transit hub for cocaine. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock Opinion Netherlands This article is more than 2 years old As the mayor of Amsterdam, I can see the Netherlands risks becoming a narco-state This article is more than 2 years old Femke Halsema We’re proud of our health-led drugs policy, but the rise of the global illegal drugs trade means we need international solutions Fri 5

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