The legalisation of all drugs would cause the black market to collapse and considerably reduce the pressure on the police, former Liberal leader and European commissioner Frits Bolkestein says in an opinion piece in Tuesday’s NRC.

The article is also signed by former D66 health minister Els Borst and law professor Theo Roos.
According to the authors, combating the criminal drugs trade costs the Dutch tax payer €924 a year.
Legalisation of all drugs would also remove the anomalies attached to the current policy of turning a blind eye to cannabis sales and improve the health of addicts because quality could be guaranteed, the authors say.

For the full article in English, click here