Assessing the Relationship Between Marijuana Availability and Marijuana Use: A Legal and Sociological Comparison Between the United States and the Netherlands

• NCJ Number: 221530
• Journal: Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education Volume: 51 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2007 Pages: 17-34
• Author(s): George S. Yacoubian Jr., J.D., Ph.D.
• Date Published: December 2007
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This comparative study examined (1) the major distinctions between the United States and the Netherlands with respect to drug policy, (2) whether there is empirical evidence to indicate that the United States and/or the Netherlands have succeeded in reducing marijuana use, and (3) whether the law of the United States should be changed to reflect the more relaxed system in the Netherlands taking into consideration politics, empirical evidence, and cultural norms.

Abstract

The primary difference between the United States and the Netherlands with respect to marijuana control policy is philosophical. The United States’ drug control policy, generally and marijuana control policy specifically have followed an identical path, prohibition. In contrast, the Netherlands approach to marijuana control is more liberal even though it still officially criminalizes marijuana. When evaluation particular policies, the evidence suggests in the case of the Netherlands that while depenalization had little effect on subsequent rates of marijuana use, de facto legalization (i.e., proliferation of coffee shops) led to sharp increases of marijuana use among Dutch youth. In contrast, evidence in the United States suggests that marijuana use rates have remained constant, within a variety of populations, for several decades. It seems clear that the United States’ policy toward reducing marijuana use has not been particularly successful. Without more information, the classic criminalization versus decriminalization debate continues. Ultimately, states are likely going to be guided by their obligations under international treaty law and political realities. Countries like the United States will likely not sway from the decades of a conservative stance on drug issues. States like the Netherlands, whose liberal attitudes have led to more relaxed marijuana laws, may be faced with outside pressures to conform to the prevailing view. References