Dutch police call for urgent designer drug ban amid rising trade
Dutch police are calling on the Eerste Kamer to swiftly pass a bill that would enforce a sweeping ban on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), commonly referred to as designer drugs. The bill, already passed by the Tweede Kamer, would change the current approach of dealing with these substances, which are often chemically modified versions of illegal drugs.
“A comprehensive law is vital for effectively curbing the trade in these substances,” said Willem Woelders, the police’s drug portfolio holder. The legislation, which could reshape the fight against synthetic drugs in the Netherlands, is up for discussion on Tuesday, January 21.
Currently, individual substances must undergo rigorous testing to determine whether they should be added to the Opium Act, a process that can take years. Meanwhile, manufacturers stay one step ahead, tweaking the chemical formulas of banned substances to create new variations.
“They swap out one or two atoms in the molecule, and suddenly it’s a new substance that isn’t controlled under the law,” said Peter Jansen, a police expert on drugs. “The effects stay the same, but the product is renamed and continues to be sold legally. Take 4-MMC, for example. When it was banned, 3-MMC appeared, and then 2-MMC followed. It’s a constant battle to keep up.”
The proposed legislation would create a new addition to the Opium Act, List IA, allowing entire chemical families to be banned. The list would target synthetic cannabinoids, fentanyls, and phenethylamines (including cathinones), which replicate the effects of THC (cannabis), heroin, and MDMA, respectively. This change would prevent drug manufacturers from simply altering the chemical structure of these substances to bypass the law.
Police warn that the continued presence of designer drugs is a growing danger to public health and safety. The risks of these substances are often unknown, and the consequences can be deadly.
“These drugs haven’t been adequately studied, and users, especially younger ones, often don’t know what they’re ingesting,” Jansen explained. “Because these substances are still legal, users mistakenly believe they’re safe. They’re easy to buy online, and delivery is just a click away. But a small dose can be deadly. Overdoses are already becoming more common.”
The problem goes beyond individual harm; the illegal production and distribution of designer drugs are often linked to organized crime. “The trade in these substances is tied to threats, violence, and significant safety risks like explosions in unregulated drug labs,” Woelders said. “This isn’t just a problem for the users but for the communities living near these labs.”
“We often can’t assist with international legal requests because these substances aren’t illegal here,” Woelders added. “Sometimes we even have to return seized materials to the producers. Other countries look at our system in disbelief. We’ve become an NPS hotspot for Europe and beyond, and that’s damaging to our reputation.”
“A blanket ban allows us to target many dangerous substances at once, even those that haven’t yet emerged,” Woelders said. “It would put an end to the slow process of evaluating each individual drug and make it easier to shut down illegal labs. That’s essential for protecting our communities.”
The bill has already won support from experts in other European countries who have adopted similar measures. In Germany and Belgium, entire chemical groups have been banned for years, helping authorities keep pace with rapidly changing drug markets.
Dutch law enforcement is already gearing up for the potential enactment of the law. Police are preparing training programs and guidelines for officers on how to handle suspected designer drugs and labs.
“We’re creating e-learning tools and developing clear protocols for our officers,” Jansen said. “Once the law passes, they’ll know exactly what to do when they encounter suspicious substances.”
“It’s time for the Eerste Kamer to act,” Woelders concluded. “This is our chance to close the loopholes that criminals have exploited for years. By adapting the Opium Act, we can combat an industry that harms public health and undermines the safety of our society.”
