Dealing with Drugs in Europe

Book excerpt: Mind-altering drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin and others are illegal in many parts of the world, but distinct approaches for dealing with the question of illegal drug use have been developed country by country. In this book Tim Boekhout van Solinge describes the different approaches that have been adopted to dealing with the problem, with particular reference to the experience of France, the Netherlands and Sweden. He explores the justifications and rationalizations for the divergent, often contradictory attitudes and systems that have been developed, and concludes that differing national cultural traditions for handling social problems have greatly influenced the ways in which illicit drug use have been dealt with.