From 2-MMC to 5C-AKB48: The government wants to ban hundreds of designer drugs at once. The article group ban will be discussed in the House of Representatives today. It is expected to be voted on tomorrow. However, there are doubts about the effectiveness of the bill.
Designer drugs are chemical variations of “classic” drugs such as ecstasy or amphetamines. The outgoing cabinet wants to outlaw three groups of substances, rather than banning each new variety one by one (which would take years). This is a new approach that adds an additional list to the opium law.
The police and the prosecutor’s office have been campaigning for this for years. “We cannot always assist with requests for international legal assistance because such things are not prohibited here,” police officer Willem Woelders said in a recent call to politicians. It leads to frustration among drug investigators as they fail to take action against drug traffickers and manufacturers.
Sanction?
Criminologist Emile Kolthoff says the proposed ban on groups of substances finally provides investigators with a solution. However, there are catches according to him. “I think the biggest problem is control.” It highlights the immediate lack of capacity in the police. “Ecstasy is also prohibited, but it is almost impossible to impose sanctions against it.”
He also states that the substances can also be used for legal purposes. Applying for and checking exemptions also causes additional work. Kolthoff wonders whether this outweighs the ban’s benefits.
Forensic scientist Jorrit van den Berg from NFI admits that despite the ban on the substance, it will remain a cat-and-mouse game. “Manufacturers will continue to try to circumvent the law. But the mouse’s possibilities are getting smaller.”
home delivery
It’s now easy to sell designer drugs online. “Ordered before 6pm, delivered tomorrow,” says an online shop that offers 2-MMC legally. However, according to the bill, the subgroup of phenethylamines, which includes cathinones, will be banned along with synthetic cannabinoids and fentanyl-like substances.
“The Ministry started with the three most important items,” says Van den Berg. As a drug researcher at NFI, he played a key role in drafting the legislation.
According to Van den Berg, “enormous profits” are made when these resources are sold abroad from the Netherlands. For example, this is not possible in neighboring Germany. “Seven groups of substances are already banned there.”
According to the National Drug Monitor, “conventional” drugs are much more popular when it comes to consumption. Cannabis and MDMA are by far the most commonly used. “3-MMC is now showing up in the numbers,” says Laura Smit-Rigter, Trimbos Institute Drug Information and Tracking System coordinator. 3 percent of Dutch people aged 18-29 said they had tried these designer drugs in the past year. “These are small numbers, but some items are increasing.”
Action Group
Campaign group Normal Against Drugs believes the problem of designer drugs has been greatly exaggerated. “There’s not much that needs to be resolved,” legal counsel for action group Kaj Hollemans said at the Met Het Oog op Morgen on Monday evening.
He argues that there have been almost no incidents, that the ban is based on assumptions and could be counterproductive. On the campaign group’s website, scientists, politicians and lawyers explain why they think the plan is a bad idea and what sources they rely on.
Smit-Rigter calls banning the group of substances a “good first step.” “It is now very easy for vulnerable young people to order designer drugs via their phones or computers. “The bill makes that even more difficult.”
Designer drugs are assumed to be at least as harmful to health as their original versions. Because so little is known about its effects, users are “guinea pigs,” according to Smit-Rigter. He believes it is important for the government to be able to intervene more quickly for health reasons.
However, as soon as there is demand, it is often offered for sale on the illicit market, such as the currently banned 3-MMC. “In this case, visibility is even lower and the risks to the user are greater.” That’s why Smit-Rigter insists that monitoring, prevention and information are vital. “We will have to wait and see what impact the law will have if it comes into force.”
Criminologist Kolthoff says the draft law will definitely restrict the supply of designer drugs over the internet. In his view, this is also desirable because some providers hide risks. “But the question is: What will this group put forward as an alternative? So what problem will a new ban actually solve? Drug use has become normalized to some extent and the average Dutchman is not very concerned about it.”
Source: NOS
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
