Why drugs and prostitution legal in Amsterdam?
96645
First of all 'Amsterdam now a rich country?' is nonsensical. Amsterdam is a city in the Netherlands, which is listed at no. 11 in terms of Global Competitiveness - not bad for a nation with 16 million inhabitants.\n\nSecond 'Because they are not Christians!!' is also nonsensical. There are many Christians living in Amsterdam. My brother-in-Law has an uncle who ministered to the prostitutes for many years. His church was one of the most popular in Amsterdam.  \n\nTax generated is negligible, true - research suggests only a minority pay taxes, mainly because working illegally is still more advantageous, or there are concerns about being openly registered - and stigmatised - as a sex worker.\n\nRegulation however, IS a valid reason, and that's precisely why brothels were legalised in 2000: to protect the underaged, illegal, to reduce related criminality, to protect prostitutes. In 2006 there will be an evaluation of this policy.\n\nProstitution itself has always been legal in the Netherlands, mainly because it's proven impossible to ban in any country and there is concern about the welfare of prostitutes. Read the wikipedia article for a more succinct response.\n\nAs for drugs: in the Netherlands, drugs are considered a  public health issue, not a criminal matter. And there is definitely a distinction between hard drugs and soft drugs.\n\nLike prostitution, it's based on the belief that when faced with a social problem it is better to acknowledge it and take steps to regulate it, instead of enforcing laws that fail to stop the problem.\n\nPerhaps not everyone agrees, but the Netherland IS a society where different opinions can be voiced and debated, and contribute to the shaping of policy. \n\nIt sure beats ignorance.
329079
soft drugs were always legal in holland. hard drugs never were. \n\nif the crime rate declined/ inclined/ whatever in holland, it had nothing to do with the policy on drugs - that hasn't changed.
789302
It is not a federal issue.  It is up to the states to make prostitution legal or not.  That is inherently a matter of state law.  Nevada is the only state that I am aware of that has decriminalized prostitution in all but Clark County (Las Vegas).  It is still highly regulated for the safety of the customers.  Now that they're legal, the brothels have to pay taxes and comply with health requirements like latex condoms every time.  One brothel (Mustang Ranch, I think) was seized by the IRS because they did not accurately report their income.  So there are some detriments to being legal.
488700
In the Netherlands, softer drugs such as marijuana is legal.  However.  It is controlled.  You have to have a license to sell it. (such as a coffee shop.. yes they exist and no they are not all they are cracked up to be) You are only allowed to sell to 18 and older and only a certain amount per person.  Most coffee shops make it a rule that you HAVE to have a cup of tea or coffee while there.  (but not all) You can see people smoking on the streets.  Its not uncommon but the govt frowns on such behavior.
377058
Sure, if it has to do with capitalism, and entrepreneurs can make money off of it, it's more likely to be legal. Prosistution is illegal in many states because it's not easily taxed.\n\nSecond, I believe prostitution is illegal because of state legislation, not federal legislation.
905159
Money!  Thats it.  Plain and simple.  The federal government aquires and distributes insane amounts of money for and from this so called "war on drugs"   What i mean is, the vast majority of prison inmates are booked due to drug related offences.  For each inmate booked the prison is alotted a certain amount of revenue.  Prisons are run by the state, therefore the state ultimatly ends up with this money.  Polititians find numerous ways to skim off the top as well as the high end execs.  Prisons are only one major source of benifiting from this mass amount of revenue.  In short a crime filled, chaotic country makes more cash than one such as amsterdam.
626926
go to Amsterdame,its a wonderul place full of cultuer,weed and whores who could ask for more.
371527
Legalizing would actually in a sense deter alot of the drug problems facing society today.  If the government legalized and regulated drugs, then it would drive out a lot of the black market competition.  Drugs wouldnt be cut with dangerous fillers, a huge revenue would be opened up to the gov., and also the amount given to users would be regulated much like any other prescription. The gov. has spent a ludicrious amount of money fighting the drug war and drug abuse is still rampant. If the government actually regulated it, all of the drug traffiking problems would go away. However society has been taught that this scenario could never work. Yet look at Amsterdam which legalized many drugs much the same way as I described above. And they have some very very low crime rates. Over there drug use, prostitution, and drug sales is all regulated by the gov.
367960
its legal in holland, i had two when i went to amsterdam
604115
Yes, you can get addicted to just about anything, and I bet it can ruin your life the same way hard drugs can. It's the same as alcohol and cigarettes - why are they legal? Because so may people use it and like it and they would be outraged if they had it taken away. People like to think that because it is legal they don't have a problem and they have this attitude that they are so much better than other addicts whose drug of choice is crack or heroin or meth. If it's legal people can feel less guilty.
689569
"Germany when it comes to public exposure and access to alcohol, where even fast-food restaurants sell beer with burgers and teenagers are able to buy drinks before they can drive cars."\n\nIt will be crazy in Germany.But if you can't make it to Germany,Netherlands has fully nude fully inclusive resorts/ some with resort qualities such as Jacuzzis/ and you don't have to be in the dangerous Red light District to find them.Other parts of Amsterdam have them in fact I am planning on going to one of these resorts .
1155415
NO, drugs should not be legalised. Drugs are not solution to any problem nor they give any pleasure. They just drag brain from realty to illusion.
448091
Most prostitution is not drug related, true some drug addicts begin selling themselves to pay for their drug habits. Most prostitution comes from a man meeting a woman who has low self esteem and dating her for a very short minute and then moving her into prostitution. Pimps are more profitable when they are deep in ho's meaning when they have many prostitutes in their stable. These women just cant run, although they like to think that they can, the pimp "sweats" them meaning he drives around the block, has his people watching his prostitute, when the prostitute "breaks" or gets a john he watches her close, when the john leaves the pimp tells the woman to break herself, meaning to give him the money she just made, then she goes back out on the track meaning a predesignated, usually by the pimp, area and she walks up and down the street solicting herself. Most movies you see the prostitutes standing around on a street corner. This is not how prostitution works, they have to walk the track and keep walking they stop when they have a john. If you legalize prostitution you may get rid of the pimps sweating their ho's and many of the prostitutes would be able to run, but to legalize would be to only allow prostitution in specific buildings, peace officers would have to be present at all times and the sex acts themselves would have to be recorded, this would be to ensure that prostitutes dont get raped, because yes they do get raped.
759859
Yes. After all, cigarrettes and smoking is not any lesser killer than drugs. But still they are legal.\n\n   Prostitution is the oldest profession of humans. How is it so bad as to be banned compared to pornography (which is flourishing, especially with the internet) ?\n\n    I am pretty sure for people who know how to avoid drugs and prostitution, it really does not matter whether they are legal or not.\n\n      So, just like smoking, both drugs and prostitution should be "use at your own risk" and not prohibited by law.
1015974
1.They only develop things for the drug trade.  The road that the drug runners use is a brand new four lane super highway.  All the other roads are dirt.\n2.The drug trade is illegal, so if your in it, your breaking all sorts of laws both international and lots of countries.  And once you break a law all the time it's a slippery slope to break any law.\n3.They don't bother doing anything else....they can make tons on the drugs, easily, so why bother with other things.
602533
No, it should be decriminalized as it is in The Netherlands.\n\nMarijuana is not a gateway drug. There has never been a legitmate study proving it is.\n\n"Despite the legalization of soft drugs, use of cannabis in the Netherlands is not higher than most other countries in Western Europe: 9.7% of young males consume cannabis at least once a month, which rates the Netherlands 7th in the EU after Cyprus (23.3%), Spain (16.4%), United Kingdom (15.8%), France (13.2%), Italy (10.9%) and Germany (9.9%).[1]\n\nSome critics say that the legalization of soft drugs often leads to quicker consuming of harddrugs. Yet, the percentage of the population which ever consumed cocaine in the Netherlands is still lower than that of the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. The situation is similar for other hard drugs."
200499
Yes.  I depends on the drugs and where you are.  Some drugs are legal when used in certain ways, usually when prescribed by a doctor.  Also, some countries are much more relaxed about their drug laws or enforcement practices.\n\nOr are you just trying to be funny?  Ha! Ha!