All drugs.
Regulated.
In pharmacies.
50 jaar drugsoorlog heeft het gebruik niet verminderd.
Alle drugs. Gereguleerd. In apotheken.
Cocaïne, heroïne, MDMA en andere drugs – een gereguleerde markt in plaats van een zwarte markt. Geen versnijdingsmiddelen. Geen aanschafcriminaliteit. Geen financiering van kartels door Europese consumenten.
6.166
Drugsdoden EU 2021
87 Mio.
EU-burgers hebben gebruikt
1,6 Mio.
Drugsdelicten EU 2023
31 Mrd. €
EU-drugsmarkt/jaar
Bronnen: EUDA European Drug Report, EUDA/Europol EU Drug Markets Report
"When the US ended alcohol prohibition, Al Capone's empire collapsed. Not because crime disappeared – but because the most lucrative market became legal."
Analyse
Why Prohibition Has Failed
Current drug policy causes more harm than it prevents. Here is the analysis.
Health Failure
People don't die from drugs – they die from illegality. Unknown dosages, contamination, lack of medical help.
- Fentanyl Crisis: Synthetic opioids are increasingly being mixed into other substances – without users' knowledge.
- Adulterants: From synthetic cannabinoids to toxic additives – the illegal market has no quality control.
- Dosage Uncertainty: Every batch can have different potency. What was safe yesterday can be lethal today.
Objection: Doesn't regulation lead to more use?
Evidence shows the opposite: Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001 – use didn't increase, and among youth it actually decreased. The Netherlands has lower cannabis use rates than Germany despite coffeeshops.
Homelessness and rotting wounds are not inevitable.
In many European cities, necrotic wounds come from contaminated street drugs and infected injection sites. Cutting agents like lidocaine or levamisole destroy vessels and tissue.
People with alcohol dependence consume a regulated, taxed product. Even when homeless they buy legal substances without unknown additives — they do not die from adulterants, do not lose limbs to contaminated poison, and still contribute to the commons through taxes.
Regulation means: pure substances instead of street poison, medical oversight instead of necrosis, revenue instead of downstream costs.
Social Failure
Regulation means: tax revenue instead of cartel profits, professional counseling instead of anonymous street dealing, preventive healthcare instead of emergency medicine.
Today: Black Market
€31+ Mrd.
annually to cartels in the EU
With Regulation
Tax Revenue
for prevention, therapy, education
Source: EUDA/Europol EU Drug Markets Report – estimated annual revenue of the illegal EU drug market.
Stigma Prevents Help
People with addiction problems hide out of fear of social ostracism. They seek help only when it's almost too late – or not at all. In a regulated system, they could openly seek support before the spiral begins – from professionals, not on the street.
Objection: Shouldn't society reject drug use?
Rejection and prohibition are not the same. We socially reject smoking – yet tobacco is legal and regulated. The result: smoking rates have been declining for decades. Honest education and health policy work better than bans.
The Problem Today: Alcohol and Tobacco Next to Bread
Even for legal drugs our system fails: highly toxic alcohol and tobacco are sold in supermarkets next to bread. No entrance age filter, no mandatory counselling, cheap bulk offers. Serious regulation would move these products into specialised outlets with age checks and advice – exactly what we propose for all substances.
Enforcement Failure
"You cannot fight cartels while funding them."
The Prohibition Paradox:
- High Prices: Prohibition keeps prices artificially high – extreme profit margins
- Risk Priced In: Seizures and arrests are calculated business costs
- Constant Demand: 50 years of drug war haven't reduced consumption
- Violence Guaranteed: Illegal markets are regulated with guns instead of lawyers
Objection: Organized crime always exists – regulation won't solve it
True. But we choose which markets to leave them. When the US ended alcohol prohibition, Al Capone's empire collapsed. Not because crime disappeared – but because the most lucrative market became legal. The same pattern is possible.
De blinde vlek
Waarom het debat nooit over regulering gaat
In elke documentaire over drugscriminaliteit horen we: "Er is geen oplossing." Nooit wordt ook maar een halve zin besteed aan de overweging dat echte regulering de kartels zou kunnen ontkrachten.
Het voorbeeld Nederland
Ondanks de coffeeshoptolerantie zijn drugsbendes extreem machtig, infiltreren ze de staat en vermoorden ze burgers zoals advocaten en journalisten. De reden: De toeleveringsketen blijft illegaal. Coffeeshops verkopen legaal, maar productie en groothandel zijn in criminele handen.
Een half systeem houdt de kartels in leven
Nederlandse "tolerantie" is geen regulering – het is een half systeem. Zolang productie en groothandel illegaal blijven, blijven kartels in bedrijf. Het geld blijft stromen naar de georganiseerde misdaad.
Het voorbeeld Zweden
Zweden kiest de tegenovergestelde weg: hardste repressie, meer politie, snellere uitzettingen. Het resultaat? Bendegeweld blijft hoog, minderjarigen worden gerekruteerd, het probleem verschuift in plaats van te verdwijnen. Harder optreden zonder regulering bestrijdt symptomen, geen oorzaken.
Echte regulering betekent:
- Legale productie onder staatscontrole
- Legale groothandel met kwaliteitscontrole
- Legale verkoop in apotheken of gelicenseerde winkels
- Kartels verliezen de hele markt – niet alleen de detailhandel
Pas als de hele toeleveringsketen legaal en gecontroleerd is, kunnen we de georganiseerde misdaad daadwerkelijk ontkrachten.
Solution
How Regulation Works
Regulation is not promotion. We regulate dangerous things not because we want to promote them – but because control protects better than prohibition.
| Alcohol | Medications | Regulated Model | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Limit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Quality Control | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Advertising Ban | ○ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Mandatory Consultation | — | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Medical Monitoring | — | ✓ | ✓✓ |
✓✓ = Stricter control than alcohol
The Five Pillars of Regulation
Quality Control
Pharmaceutical-grade substances with known dosing. No adulterants, no unknown additives.
Medical Support
Initial medical consultation, regular health checks, direct access to therapy options.
Age Control
Strict age verification. Dealers don't ask for ID – licensed sales points do.
Prevention Funding
Tax revenue flows into education, prevention and therapy instead of cartel coffers.
Privacy
Medical confidentiality. No central consumer registry. No data sharing with police or employers.
What Does NOT Happen
- No central consumer registry
- No data sharing with police
- No employer access
- No driver's license linking
What IS Guaranteed
- Medical confidentiality
- Independent oversight
- Purpose-limited health data
- Anonymous statistics
The Process in 4 Steps
1. Registration
Anonymous registration at a licensed sales point. Initial medical consultation.
2. Counseling
Risk education. Regular health checks. Access to therapy.
3. Sale
Pharmaceutical-grade substances are sold with defined dosing and quality control.
4. Funding
Tax revenue for prevention, therapy, research.
Taxes, Subsidies, Solidarity
Regulated sales mean: the state collects taxes, can subsidize prices if needed, and takes responsibility for vulnerable people – because less crime and no blood money are in everyone's own interest.
- Sales are taxed and finance prevention, treatment and social services.
- State price control can undercut dealers and dry up the black market.
- Less crime and no blood money are a moral self-interest for the whole society.
Evidence
International Case Studies
Regulation is not theory – it's practiced worldwide. Here are the results.
🇨🇭 Switzerland
Heroin Program since 1994
Severely heroin-addicted receive pharmaceutical-grade heroin under medical supervision. The program has been running for 30 years.
The Model:
- Heroin-Assisted Treatment (HAT) for severely addicted
- Pharmaceutically pure heroin under medical supervision
- Daily visits to specialized clinics
- Integrated into comprehensive treatment program
↓↓
Acquisitive Crime
↑↑
Social Integration
↑↑
Health
Saves
Cost-Benefit
Source: Swiss Federal Office of Public Health
🇵🇹 Portugal
Decriminalization since 2001
All drugs decriminalized. Possession of small amounts is no longer a crime. Instead: referral to "Dissuasion Commissions". Focus on health, not punishment.
Low
Drug Deaths (EU comparison)
↓↓
HIV Infections
↑↑
Treatments
↓
Incarcerations
Source: EUDA, Transform Drug Policy Foundation
🇳🇱 Netherlands
Coffeeshops since 1976
"Gedoogbeleid" – Tolerance policy for cannabis. Licensed coffeeshops may sell up to 5g. Strict rules: No advertising, no minors, no hard drugs. Result: Cannabis use below EU average.
🇨🇦 Canada
Legalization since 2018
First G7 country with full cannabis legalization. Federal legalization with provincial implementation. Strict quality controls. Result: Black market continuously shrinking, tax revenue rising.
What Research Shows
Use Patterns
Adult use rises modestly, youth use remains broadly stable. Retail density, pricing and prevention are decisive.
Health & Safety
ER visits increase with edibles/high potency products. Governance (THC caps, testing) reduces risk.
Illegal Markets
Cannabis seizures at US border dropped up to 80% since 2013. But cartels shifted to fentanyl, heroin, and meth – that's why regulation must cover ALL drugs.
Scientific Sources
Global Responsibility
Europe's Footprint
Every euro for illegal drugs funds violence – somewhere in the world. Europe shares responsibility.
The Money Flow
🇪🇺 €31B/Year
↓
European Drug Market
↓
Cartel Profits
↓
Weapons
Corruption
Deforestation
Violence
Weaken Cartels
Cannabis legalization works: US border seizures dropped up to 80%. But cartels shift to other drugs – only comprehensive regulation removes all their markets.
Reduce Violence
In Mexico, over 30,000 homicides are recorded annually; organized crime contributes substantially.
Protect Environment
Illegal cocaine production drives large-scale deforestation in Colombia; chemicals contaminate rivers and groundwater.
Human Rights
Cartels use forced labor for production and transport. Women and children are exploited in production areas.
Repressie werkt niet
Zweden toont in real-time: zelfs de hardste maatregelen stoppen bendecriminaliteit niet zolang de markt illegaal en winstgevend blijft. Het mantra "harder, sneller, uitzetten" is geen oplossing – het is symptoombestrijding zonder genezing.
Affected Regions
🌎
Latin America
Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia – cartel violence, corruption
🌍
West Africa
Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Nigeria – transit routes, destabilization
🌏
Southeast Asia
Myanmar, Laos, Thailand – Golden Triangle, human trafficking
Objection: Can we really solve other countries' problems?
It's not about solving their problems – it's about not causing them. Without European demand, there would be no incentive for this violence. We know this principle from conflict minerals and fair trade.
INEGI homicide statistics · Global Organized Crime Index (Mexico) · UNODC Crop Monitoring · CBP drug seizure statistics
Geopolitical Context
UN Conventions and Europe's Options
The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and subsequent UN conventions forced countries worldwide into a prohibition regime that ignored local traditions and prioritized Western interests.
Countries that refused risked sanctions and exclusion from trade agreements.
Can Europe Resist US Pressure?
✓ Yes, and it's already happening
- Germany 2024: Cannabis legalization despite international pressure
- Netherlands: Tolerated coffeeshops for 50 years
- Portugal 2001: Decriminalization of all drugs
- Switzerland: Heroin prescription programs since 1994
Why It Works
- Economic power: The EU is the world's largest single market – the US cannot simply impose sanctions
- Precedents: Uruguay and Canada fully legalized without consequences
- US shift: 24 US states have legalized cannabis themselves – moral authority is crumbling (DISA)
The European Path
Europe doesn't need to wait for UN reforms. The path is clear:
1. Lead nationally
Individual EU countries can lead the way and develop models for regulating all drugs – step by step.
2. EU coordination
Successful national models can be harmonized through EU mechanisms.
3. Reform UN conventions
With a united EU front, the outdated conventions can be reformed in the medium term.
Objection: Won't we lose credibility by ignoring UN treaties?
The UN drug conventions are from 1961 – before the moon landing, before the internet, before the HIV crisis. They were never updated, despite overwhelming evidence against prohibition. Credibility comes from following science – not clinging to failed dogmas. The US itself no longer follows them. Why should Europe?
UN Single Convention 1961 · TNI: UN Drug Conventions · Global Commission on Drug Policy
Questions & Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Safety & Health
Het bewijs toont het tegenovergestelde. Portugal heeft in 2001 alle drugs gedecriminaliseerd – het gebruik is niet gestegen, bij jongeren zelfs gedaald.
De huidige situatie is de slechtste jeugdbescherming: dealers vragen niet om een legitimatie. Een gereguleerde markt met strenge leeftijdsverificatie beschermt jongeren beter.
Zwitserland doet het sinds 1994. Zwaar verslaafden krijgen farmaceutisch zuivere heroïne onder medisch toezicht. Resultaat: aanschafcriminaliteit verdwenen, gezondheid verbeterd.
Verslaving is een ziekte die van vele factoren afhangt – genetica, trauma, sociale situatie. De wettelijke status is niet beslissend.
Crime & Security
Integendeel: we ontnemen hen de basis van hun bedrijf. Prohibitie is het beste subsidieprogramma voor kartels.
Cannabislegalisering toont: het werkt. US-grensinbeslagnames van cannabis daalden met tot 80%. Maar kartels wijken uit naar fentanyl, heroïne en meth. Alleen regulering van ALLE drugs ontneemt hen hun markten volledig.
Society & Morality
We sturen een eerlijk signaal: drugs zijn riskant, daarom controleren we ze. Dat is geloofwaardiger dan de huidige hypocrisie waarbij alcohol en tabak legaal zijn.
Implementation
Regulering betaalt zichzelf. Momenteel stroomt €31+ miljard jaarlijks naar kartels – zonder kwaliteitscontrole, zonder belastinginkomsten.
Er zijn werkende modellen: Portugal sinds 2001, Zwitsers heroïneprogramma sinds 1994, Canadese cannabislegalisering sinds 2018.
Critical Objections
De staat is al in het drugshandel – hij verkoopt alcohol en tabak, die samen meer dan 200.000 doden per jaar in de EU veroorzaken.
Juist: drugs zijn gevaarlijk. Maar mensen gebruiken ze toch – 87 miljoen Europeanen hebben het gedaan. De vraag is: krijgen ze onbekende concentraties op straat – of farmaceutisch zuivere substanties met medische begeleiding?
Politievakbonden en veiligheidsdiensten hebben een institutioneel belang bij de status quo: budgetten, banen, bevoegdheden hangen af van de "oorlog tegen drugs".
Het argument klinkt logisch, maar de realiteit spreekt het tegen: 87 miljoen Europeanen hebben illegale drugs gebruikt – de drempel is duidelijk niet hoog genoeg.
De echte waarheid
Regulering is geen utopie.
Het is een verschuiving van chaos naar systemen.
De wereld daarna is:
— minder zichtbaar wreed
— minder speculatief dodelijk
— maar ook minder comfortabel om te negeren
Je kunt dan niet meer doen alsof dit ons allemaal "niet aangaat".
Take Action
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Eight black-and-white posters in the campaign style. Available in A4, A3, A2, A1 and A0 – from home printing to large format. Select size in the poster, save as PDF and print.
6,166 drug deaths
EU 2021.
Zero quality control.
87M Europeans
have used drugs.
Black market?
1.6M
Drug offenses EU 2023.
Public resources?
€31B
EU drug market per year.
Cartels cash in.
0% adulterants
guaranteed.
Only in pharmacies.
Regulation is
not a utopia.
It's a system.
You see them.
Rotting wounds.
This is prohibition.
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Sample Letter to Representatives
Copy this letter and customize the marked sections.
Geachte [NAAM], Ik schrijf u als bezorgde burger uit [STAD/KIESDISTRICT]. Het huidige drugsbeleid dwingt gebruikers naar illegale markten. Daar kopen zij van criminelen stoffen met onbekende samenstelling en dosering – vaak onder gevaarlijke omstandigheden. Elk jaar sterven duizenden mensen door vervuiling en overdoses die met kwaliteitscontrole te voorkomen zouden zijn. Tegelijkertijd stromen jaarlijks meer dan 30 miljard euro naar kartels – geld dat geweld, corruptie en instabiliteit in producerende landen financiert, terwijl de staat belastinginkomsten misloopt. In documentaires en reportages over drugsmisdaad horen we altijd: "Er is geen oplossing." Er wordt echter nooit zelfs maar een halve zin besteed aan de mogelijkheid dat echte regulering – met legale productie, legale groothandel en legale verkoop – de kartels zou kunnen ontmantelen. Deze blinde vlek in het debat moet eindigen. De oplossing: Een volledig gereguleerde markt met gecontroleerde verkoop van alle drugs in apotheken of erkende speciaalzaken. Dit model kan: • Levens redden door farmaceutische kwaliteit en juiste dosering • De gehele markt aan kartels onttrekken – niet alleen de detailverkoop • Miljarden aan belastinginkomsten genereren voor preventie en therapie • Advies en vroege opsporing mogelijk maken via getrainde professionals Ik vraag u te pleiten voor een volledig gereguleerde drugsmarkt – met gezondheidsbescherming in plaats van zwarte markt. Met vriendelijke groet, [UW NAAM] [UW ADRES]
Tips for Effective Letters
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