Purple haze: the remaking of Dutch drug policy

Abstract

In 1994, after 80 years of Christian Democratic rule, the Dutch elected a government of Social Democrats, Liberals and Conservative Democrats. High expectations rose concerning policy innovations in social–ethical issues. In the course of formulating the policy paper on Drug policy however, two interacting processes interfered with these expectations of change. Ongoing foreign critique and domestic concern about police investigation methods redirected drug policy into a relatively repressive domain. In spite of growing international support for the Dutch model, it's culture-specific characteristics are eroding.