Geert Wilder’s populist PVV party is calling on the government to introduce a tax on soft drugs, the AD reports on Monday.

PVV MP Roland van Vliet called on junior tax minister Frans Weekers to be ‘creative’ in levying a tax on marijuana. With the government having to cut spending in so many areas, it is right that smokers make a contribution, Van Vliet said.
Marijuana is not legal in the Netherlands but police turn a blind eye to small amounts for personal use.
Weekers told the AD that European court rulings show countries cannot levy tax on banned substances.
However, the owners of ‘coffee shops’, the cafes where marijuana is freely sold, already pay tax on their turnover, including the revenue generated by soft drug sales.

Update: during Monday’s parliamentary debate on the government’s plans to amend tax regulations, Van Vliet said he would not pursue his demand and had no plans to say any more about the issue.