Cannabis policy, implementation and outcomes

This report examines what is known about the effects of policies regarding the possession and use of cannabis. Such policies continue to be subject to debate in most if not all European countries. Different governments have made different policy decisions, varying from explicit toleration (but not full legalisation) to strict prohibition. Policymaking would be served by insight in the relationship between different cannabis policies and their outcomes, such as prevalence of cannabis use and social consequences for cannabis users and for society as a whole. As the impact of policy is greatly dependent upon its implementation, it is worthwhile to study not just formal policy but also cannabis policy as implemented in practice. Interest in such a study has come from a joint initiative of the Health Ministers of Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The study reported here was made possible by a research grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports. The current report describes the result of this study.