Comparing policies towards soft drugs in the Netherlands and Sweden

The main objective of this paper is to compare the drug policies towards “soft” drugs like cannabis in the Netherlands and Sweden. At first glance the two countries´ attitudes towards use and possession of soft drugs appear to be on opposite sides of the scale from the Swedish zero tolerance to the Dutch more liberal view on soft drugs that manifests itself in the coffee houses. The coffee houses are licensed to sell small amounts of cannabis for use on the spot.