Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
The Netherlands is well known for its tolerant drug policy. What is and what is not allowed? A number of new regulations on alcohol and tobacco have been introduced.
Drugs
Although most people think that anything is allowed in the Netherlands there are definitely some clear restrictions on the use and possession of drugs. Just as in the rest of the world, it is illegal to produce, sell or posses drugs in the Netherlands. The production and selling of drugs is top priority for law enforcement agencies. Dutch police are not so much interested in tracing small quantities of drugs intended for use at home even if hard drugs are involved.
Coffee shops, where you can buy a maximum amount of five grams of soft drugs, are officially tolerated. The sale of soft drugs is illegal but not a crime. The drugs may not be sold to young people under the age of eighteen and minors are not allowed to enter the coffee shops.
Alcohol
The Dutch government actively helps reduce the use of alcohol among young people. Low alcoholic drinks such as beer may not be sold to individuals who are not yet sixteen. There is a statutory minimum age limit of eighteen for stronger alcoholic drinks. Young people under the age of sixteen may also not openly drink alcohol on the streets.
Regulations in respect of alcohol when driving are very strict. When behind the wheel of a car, motorcycle or moped, you may not have a blood alcohol level of .5 or higher. For young people this level is even lower. Anyone who has had their driving license for less than five years or passed their driving test after March 2002 may not have an alcohol blood level of .2 or higher. The same applies to moped riders under the age of 24. This actually means that you cannot drink any alcoholic beverages. The police regularly carry out alcohol testing. The alcohol limit applies to motorized traffic. Cyclists who had a drink or two will not be tested for alcohol as long as they do not create any dangerous situations.
Tobacco
The government wants to ban smoking in the public domain as far as possible. All hotel and catering establishments will be smoke-free as of July 2008. Government buildings, trains, buses and airplanes all have smoke-free zones and everybody in the Netherlands is entitled to a smoke-free work place. If you want to light up a cigarette then you will either have to go outside or go to an area where you are allowed to smoke. Coffee shops, the place to buy and smoke soft drugs, will have separate smoke-zones.
