The Dutch policy on drugs differs in a number of ways from the policies of
other countries. One of these differences is the distinction drawn here
between hard and soft drugs. Ever since 1978, this difference has been
stipulated by law: the possession of hard drugs is a felony and the possession
of a small quantity of soft drugs is a misdemeanour. "A small quantity of soft
drugs" means a maximum of thirty grams. Amsterdam has approximately a hundred
coffee shops and other public places where soft drugs are - illegally - bought
and sold. Soft drug prevention does not have a high priority, but if there is
a quantity of more than thirty grams of soft drugs in a coffee shop or some
other public place, or if hard drugs are sold or there are disturbances of the
peace, the police will immediately have the premises closed down. There is an
extremely intensive check on places of this kind. As a result of this policy,
a distinction has developed between the soft drug trade and the hard drug
trade. The soft drug trade had thus been "decriminalized.n Studies have shown
that very few users go from soft drugs to hard drugs.
Beyond that, I don't know. I only know they hard line on foreign sellers.


