Consider the end, respice finem, is an ancient motto for decision-makers. Politics in particular often has a hard time with this. Who can say what risks and side effects larger social reform projects, for example in social or health policy, will have in the long term? The Dutch know what to say about it. When they liberalized their drug policies from the 1970s onwards, they did so with the best of intentions, namely to reduce harm. The calculation goes that if we can’t stop people from consuming soft drugs, then at least they shouldn’t buy their weed from street dealers who also have harder drugs on offer. But at a more reliable, controllable point of sale.
Cannabis legalization: Experiences from Holland should be a warning for Germany – culture
