Synthetic drugs receive relatively little attention in policy and public debate. However, developments in this area are progressing rapidly: new substances are being designed, produced, and distributed at a rapid pace, both domestically and internationally. At the same time, various forms of synthetic drug use have become normalized within Dutch society, for example in nightlife settings or at festivals. In parallel, the Netherlands plays a global role in the synthetic drugs market as one of the world’s leading producers—a position that has significant implications for public health, safety, and the environment.
These developments raise pressing questions about safe use, reducing consumption, combating illegal markets, addressing crime and subversion, and mitigating environmental harm. Given the substantial production of synthetic drugs in the Netherlands, Dutch drug policy may have a relatively high potential impact on a national as well as international level. For these reasons, the WRR has initiated a new advisory project centered around two key questions: (1) How does Dutch policy on synthetic drugs relate to the national and international realities of synthetic drug production, distribution, and use? (2) How can policy better align with the observed trends and changes in these domains?