tolerantiebeleid

The Dutch policy of tolerating certain activities (especially soft drug use in coffee shops) while technically illegal — called 'gedoogbeleid.' The Netherlands pioneered pragmatic harm-reduction approaches to drug policy, sex work regulation, and euthanasia. This approach has been studied globally as an alternative to prohibition. Dutch tolerance was tested by political debates on Islam and immigration in the 2000s–2020s.

“Het gedoogbeleid voor soft drugs in coffeeshops is een uniek aspect van de Nederlandse aanpak.”

In English: “The tolerance policy for soft drugs in coffee shops is a unique aspect of the Dutch approach.”