StOnEd DriVinG

[BlackBeauty]

Ohhhh...I can't wait to go back to A'dam! I've been looking out for jobs in my field over in Amsterdam but they all require a proficiency in Dutch! Although my German helps me translate most of it....

[Ferre]

I'm sure there's a job here for a goodlooking, smart girl with IT skills, hehe,...they ARE looking for lady cops!

 

guess that's not what you 're looking for,...wish you luck trying and I'll keep my ears open.

 

*******************http://www.amsterdam.nl/views/amsterdamnl/images/headers/menu_logo.gif

Edited December 3, 2002 by tboat

[BlackBeauty]

cheers thanks t-boat much appreciated!

 

oh, and can you tell me more about that amsterdam logo? i've seen it on flags and virtually all over amsterdam on restaurants and signs. is it amsterdam's flag?

[Guest Urbanhog]

Hey T-Boat,

 

Is Dutch Police Forces and the Defences forces are allowed to smoke weed? or they must have "drug-free" in their system?

 

Just curious.

 

cheers, Urbanhog

[Ferre]

*************************http://www.amsterdamblvd.com/afbeeldingen/wapen.jpg****this "weapon of Amsterdam" is the original one, we are proud of it, but most of us don't know the history of this weapon....it became popular becouse you can find the 3*** everywhere in town,...every person that ever been to Amsterdam has seen the so called "Amsterdammertjes" besides all our roads to prevent cars from driving at the sidewalks.

 

*******************I'll look into the history of this and be back on this subject asap.

[Ferre]

....and for your question Urbanhog,...this is what's on the official Amsterdam city website about them "drugpolicy" :

 

Amsterdam's policy on drugs is pragmatic. Out of the total population of 727,000, the city has around 5,100 hard-drug users. The primary thrust of policy is to discourage the use of drugs, and to combat the trade in drugs. The authorities also seek to minimise the risks incurred by drug users and to reduce as far as possible the nuisance factor for the general public. In the context of use, Amsterdam's drug policy differentiates between hard and soft drugs.

Of some 5,100 hard-drug users, around 2000 are of Dutch origin, with some 1,350 having roots in former colony of Surinam, the Netherlands Antilles and Morocco. Around 1,750 users come from other European countries, mainly Germany and Italy. The total number of hard-drug users is steadily decreasing, while their average age is rising, from 26.8 years in 1981 to 39 years in 1999. In the same period the total number of drug users under 22 years of age dropped from 14.4 percent to 1.6%.

Policy of discouragement

As far as possible Amsterdam seeks to discourage the use of drugs. Where feasible the production, transportation and trading in drugs are combated at both national and local levels. An intensive information programme is in place on the consequences and risks of using drugs. The police are pro-active on crimes committed by drug users. The stance of the Amsterdam authorities against illegal immigrants who are drugs users reflects the policy of discouragement. These people do not have access to the care programmes developed by Amsterdam for its own addicts. They only receive help in crisis situations. Furthermore, they are actively supported in returning to their country of origin.

 

Hard drugs and soft drugs

 

Several aspects of Dutch drugs policy differ from policy in other countries. Hence, the Dutch differentiate their approach to hard drugs and soft drugs. This differentiation has been enshrined in legislation since 1976 whereby possession of hard drugs is a crime and the possession of a small quantity of soft drugs is a minor offence for which no legal action is taken. In this context a small quantity of soft drugs is a maximum of 5 grammes. This policy entails a differentiation in approach to soft and hard drugs. Amsterdam has around 300 recognised, so-called "coffee shops" were soft drugs can be purchased. More than half of these are based in the inner-city (180). The 300 coffee shops are divided into 211 that only sell soft drugs, and 86 so-called hash-bars that sell both soft drugs and alcohol. The owners of hash-bars are being given the option of continuing their business either as a regular bar, or a coffee shop. The trading of soft drugs in coffee shops is permitted under strict conditions. Trading in hard drugs is banned, and it is prohibited to sell to persons under 18 years of age, no advertising is permitted, and the maximum amount per transaction per client is 5 grammes.

 

 

Where more than 500 grammes of soft drugs are found on the premises, or where hard drugs are being sold, or where the premises is the centre of a public nuisance, the police have powers to close the premises - on the authority of the mayor and aldermen. Checks are highly intensive. In addition to at least bi-annual checks by the local police team, all coffee shops are checked by a special police squad (alcohol/bar intervention squad). This policy has created as split between the hard drugs and soft and drugs scenes, and it is paying off. Research shows that there is virtually no graduation of users from soft to hard drugs.

 

Support and care

A range of care has been developed for hard drug users. The best known of these is the methadone programme whereby addicts receive a daily dose of methadone from mobile units (methadone buses), or other care units, and 200 GPs (around half the GPs in Amsterdam). The methadone buses operate seven days a week from four regular locations in the city. The methadone programme brings the City Health Department into daily contact with some 1000 hard drugs users. This enables provision of a basic health package to the users, while informing them on aspects like infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS and hepatitis).

 

 

Drugs users needing other forms of care, are referred to the appropriate unit. The provision of methadone enables users to continue functioning more or less normally within society. Shared use of hypodermic needles by addicts helps the spread of AIDS and hepatitis-B. To combat this Amsterdam now has more than 15 units where used needles can be traded in at no cost. The needle-trading programme started up in 1987 and hit its peak in 1992, with 1.1 million needles being exchanged. Since then the number of trades has steadily reduced every year. In 1997 some 450,000 needles were exchanged. This decline is due to mortality in the user population, the reduced numbers of foreign drug users in the city, and a switch by many users to oral drug use.

 

Criminal users

Amsterdam has around 1000 drugs users who are a nuisance factor. In general they are homeless, have no income, and live in the inner city. A large number finance their daily habit through theft, and are a major nuisance factor for the general public. These extreme problem users are given the option of taking the full prison sentence, or undergoing treatment in a drugs-free section of the prison. The police, Justice Department and care community work closely together in the approach to these criminal/nuisance drugs users. In the meantime, Amsterdam is developing a Judicial Custody Programme for criminal users. This three-phase programme involves a maximum two-year sentence and resocialisation. In phase 1 the subject undergoes a normal period of detention. In phase 2 he/she is under lock and key at night and during the day works or takes a training course. In phase 3 he/she lives and works outside prison, while remaining under supervision of the Justice Department.

 

Foreign addicts

Amsterdam has some two and three thousand coming and going foreign hard-drug users. In recent years the Dutch government and various care bodies have made contact with the governments of neighbouring countries. The objective of these contacts is to encourage the development of care programmes in the country of origin whereby foreign addicts can go home and receive the help they need. These agreements apply to drugs users who have not committed crimes in the Netherlands. Foreign drugs users who have committed crimes in the Netherlands are deported. When deporting these addicts there is close co-operation with the governments in the neighbouring countries. Thanks to these measures and Amsterdam's policy of discouragement, the city has lost its strong attraction for European drug users.

 

Results

The pragmatic approach to the use of hard drugs - i.e. low threshold basic care backed by a wide range of further care/support- has had positive results. Compared with other large cities, drug addicts in Amsterdam cause a relatively low level of crime. The number of hard drug users in Amsterdam is declining. The average age is increasing. And very few young people are starting up with heroin. However, new drugs are coming on the market and new risk groups are being created.

 

New target groups for drug policy

The drug scene changes constantly. New sorts of drugs come on the market, and new user groupings experiment and/or use to excess. Self evidently this process requires a flexible approach. The present approach stresses prevention, with research ongoing into new and potential risk groups. Amsterdam's present and future approach takes account of four new target groups that have been identified. In practice this means young people from Morocco and the Netherlands Antilles, street kids, and young people in the club-scene. These four groupings share a common characteristic, i.e. they have virtually no links with the hard drugs scene.

 

 

However, the young drug-users in the club-scene are different from the other categories. They are the experimenters -often still at school, often hanging around in coffee shops that sell soft drugs. They are usually well integrated in society and take new, more or less soft drugs like alcohol and hash (although some do take hard drugs like ecstasy and cocaine). They show no signs of addiction, only "use" for a short time, and do not steal to buy their drugs. Although some of these young people will certainly get into trouble, the expectation is that most will slip back into regular society. The second category comprises marginal groupings of kids from the Netherlands Antilles and Moroccan communities.

 

 

Here again, they mainly use new and more or less soft drugs like alcohol and hash (although some will also use hard drugs like ecstasy and cocaine). They do not steal to finance their drug taking, and showed no signs of addiction. Unlike the young people in the club-circuit, however, these youngsters are integrated into the marginal scene. They display criminal behaviour and "use" as part of their criminal life-style. And their career as users is linked with being on the edge of society. Their numbers are increasing apace with the growth of the issue of marginal groupings. This last category is a top priority. In the age range 13 to 24, Amsterdam has around 1,700 youngsters of Antillean and 7,500 of Moroccan background and 1,500 street kids.

 

 

An estimated 20 to 30 percent of these young people are in the potential risk group. The two-part approach is largely preventative. On one hand drugs care and support in Amsterdam is being reorganised to enhance quality and flexibility. Meanwhile, co-operation is underway with the youth service to enhance accessibility of the target groups. The second angle of approach involves positioning projects to prevent these young people from slipping into a "disadvantaged" status. An example of this is the "new perspectives for disadvantaged youngsters" project. The core of this approach is that training and work are the most important factors for young people, and hence they can also help prevent drugs use. Youngsters who get in trouble with the police or school-attendance officer are given the option of going to school (or to work), or taking a punishment.

 

 

The youngsters are closely and stringently supervised. In this way the City of Amsterdam seeks to prevent a new generation of drug users arising, while providing meaningful help for young people who do use drugs.

 

 

 

 

© City of Amsterdam

 

 

**************** so they don't really care as long as it don't bother anyone. http://www.clubs.nl/ClubsData/67948/incoming/weedw.gif

[Guest Urbanhog]

Thanks for the informative reply

 

But what about my question about the police force and the defence forces (navy, army & air force)

 

Are they allowed to smoke weed?

 

Cheers, Urbanhog

[BlackBeauty]

Thanks for the info tboat lol

 

Youngsters are closely and stringently supervised. In this way the City of Amsterdam seeks to prevent a new generation of drug users arising, while providing meaningful help for young people who do use drugs.

 

This was an excellent read and this last paragraph certainly sums up (in my view) why Amsterdam is successful by allowing marijuana to be 'tolerated'. The Australian government is much slower to act and is certainly not pro-active like the Amsterdam government...unlike what I've read about the youngsters in Amsterdam, hard drugs seem much more fashionable and 'sexy' for young people in Australia.