“Regulated Tolerance”

Living in a city opens up a whole new world of possibilities and experiences. It also changes the way that the brain associates meanings to words. For instance, nowadays, every time I hear the word “coffeeshop”, I immediately think of a small, dark and cozy little shop selling . While Starbucks has a delicious, lip-smacking menu and big shiny stores, the coffeeshops in Amsterdam ooze with charm and ambience – and the lingering smell of pot.

I had heard of these coffeeshops and of Amsterdam’s notorious reputation for tolerating the sale and consumption of certain “soft” drugs. I knew about it, but I couldn’t picture it. Most people I know get their pot in narrow dirty alleyways from shady street dealers. No quality control, no guarantees and of course, you’d be lucky if they didn’t mix your herbs with some real dried grass (or so I heard, in Dhaka. The dudes at college are usually more reliable). Here in Amsterdam – they grow the finest pot in the world, and they let you smell it and touch it before they sell it. They even give you a receipt sometimes. Just in case - the cheap bastard may want to itemize marijuana consumption on his expense account during a business trip. Who knows? Maybe the boss will approve.

I was curious about the customers. Not the usual crowd of map-toting tourists, but the “regulars”. Will they be complete stoners decked in red, green and yellow, like proper Rastafarians? Or will they all be a bunch of hippies? Maybe there would be a casual businessman, dressed sharply in a polished suit sitting around, hitting a bong to calm his nerves after a busy day at the office. If I lived in Amsterdam, maybe I could be that guy. Investment banker during the day. A chilled out laid back coffeeshop visitor at night. A secret alter ego and a perfect life. Except I'd forget shit all the time.

I discovered that there is no certain “type” of customer at coffeeshops – I saw people from all walks of life. It is difficult to imagine that what goes on inside a coffeeshop is considered illegal in most parts of the world - the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, the proprietors are helpful and cheerful, and the customers are all in a “chilled” mood enjoying conversations, a good laugh or the company of good friends with a smoke. It’s quite the lifestyle – there’s simply no hint of all the negative connotations – the illegality or the unhealthy aspects that one normally associates with marijuana consumption.

As much as the tourists enjoy the free reign on marijuana and soft drugs, the other big money-maker in Amsterdam is the notorious “Wallen”; the Red Light District and the infamous “window” girls. Two long narrow streets divided by a canal, lined with windows where scantily clad women display their bodies for sale. If Las Vegas is the city of sin, then Amsterdam is surely the heart of the devil. The RLD is an erotic paradise - sex shows, porno theatres, peep shows and topless bars, all bathed in the glow of red neon lights which besides adding an attractive glow to the women’s semi-naked bodies add a touch of ambience and sets the mood for some "fun". The streets are usually busy with tourists, often high or drunk, who spend hours gawking at the beautiful voluptuous bodies, perhaps trying to decide if they should risk cheating on their wives. In my free time, I turn up at the RLD to gawk at the gawking tourists. People watching is my favorite hobby, and doing so in the Wallen is guaranteed entertainment – whether to see the women insulting the men and throwing them out, or the various groups of young men clustered around laughing and pointing at their ridiculous friend who just walked up to a window.

I grew up in a conservative society, yet I was strangely unperturbed by the sights and sounds of the Wallen. Prostitution was the oldest profession in the world, and here at last I see a city which does not live in denial – it openly allows the activity to take place, right under the noses of the authorities. Was it simply the notion of liberty of the Nederlanders which allows for this? How is it possible that selling drugs and sex on the streets is allowed by any state in today’s world?

I came to learn about the unique law in the Netherlands - the policy of “regulated tolerance”. This is a strategy that works because of certain inherent characteristics of the Dutch society, and a policy that is rather difficult, more likely impossible, to recreate in other societies. Regulated tolerance calls for putting up with certain activities which are outlawed in most other countries in the world. Prostitution or the sales of drugs are fine examples. This Dutch policy is a manifestation of a number of very valid arguments. As far as prostitution is concerned, the Dutch recognize that big cities need a certain number of “working” women, especially a busy, commercial city such as Amsterdam. Instead of trying to implement a blanket ban on such activities, the city has found a pragmatic solution – situating sex workers in a certain part of town and allowing them to conduct their business in a regulated environment guaranteeing their own safety as well as their clients’. Thus, the social problems associated with street prostitution have been resolved, along with the problems of “pimping” or exploitation of women. Such a policy benefits all the parties involved – the sex workers have a free reign to conduct their business in a safe manner without being exploited or harassed, the clients enjoy their company with a certain assurance of safety from sexually transmitted diseases (due to regular mandatory health screenings of the prostitutes), and the city enjoys income taxes – a classical win-all situation. A similar policy is adopted towards drugs – the customers know what products they are getting; they avoid potential dangers which are associated with hazardous substances mixed with drugs; the sellers earn money and the city wins big with the taxes and the control over the distribution and consumption of drugs.

Is “regulated tolerance” a quirky feature of Dutch pragmatism? Or is it really the libertarian solution that’s light years ahead of its time? My opinion – it works. Everybody wins. And yes, it is a feature of pragmatism. It showcases a unique aspect of Dutch directness – instead of arguing over issues of immorality and illegality, the state is direct in admitting that there is no avoiding prostitution or consumption of drugs such as marijuana in a large city. This is a basic assumption of human nature. To look after the welfare of its citizens, the state needs to find a way to “allow” such activities in a regulated, controlled way instead of driving these businesses underground and living in denial and expose the citizens to the illicit ring of crime that these businesses eventually materialize in. Regulated tolerance is key. Job Cohen, you getting this?