amsterdams appraoch is more along the lines of, help the people who are addicted and have trouble getting off the hard drugs, they provide free accomodation and food facilities and free rehab for those who genuinely want to get off the drugs, instead of arresting them, giving out to them and then when they get out they go straight for the hard drugs again, amsterdam treats the problem and the person, not escalate it like here when they imprison the people who have a genuine addiction and not give them any treatment when they are locked up!

hard drugs cause genuine addiction just like alcohol and smoking. its a HSE issue not a law issue (im speaking of course outside of dealing) personal usage of drugs is an individuals silly choice, and it causes a genuine sickness called addiction, that needs to be treated with medical help. Not the law locking these people up, because it solves nothing, when they are released they run straight for what they crave again!

http://www.world66.com/europe/netherlands/amsterdam/drugs

A lot of people come to Amsterdam for a little drug experimentation. Contrary to what most visitors seem to think, drugs are far from legal in Amsterdam.

In the Netherlands there’s a distinction made between so-called soft drugs and hard drugs. Hard drugs are Cocaine and Heroin, LSD, Ecstasy etc., soft drugs are basically marijuana, hash and mushrooms. While possession and use of the hard drugs maybe tolerated compared to the U.S. they are quite illegal and not condoned socially or by the police. Don’t be the tourist arrested for buying illegal drugs on the street. Even with the soft drugs there are strict rules concerning possession and marketing.

I did watch that documentary btw and I do no how cheap it is to make, and I said “NOT MY RESEARCH” if you care to read it, and all i said was in amsterdam as a result of cocaine and heroin being legal there is no synthetic drugs which are the worst, thats all I said, I never said I agreed with them and I certainly dont! not chemicals anyway.

as for medical purposes to legalise it?/ I dont agree, whats the difference between legalising it for medical purposes and for regular use like cigarettes (which are more of a health hazard and thats proven!)
and trust me I know, my dad has MS and in the UK there is research going on for years with regards to legalising it for pain in MS sufferers, but if its good for medicine would it not be worth while legalising it altogether? only speaking of cannabis here nothing else!