The trading of soft drugs in coffee shops is permitted under strict conditions. Trading in hard drugs is banned, and it is prohibited to sell to persons under 18 years of age, no advertising is permitted, and the maximum amount per transaction per client is 5 grammes. Where more than 500 grammes of soft drugs are found on the premises, or where hard drugs are being sold, or where the premises is the centre of a public nuisance, the police have powers to close the premises - on the authority of the mayor and aldermen. Checks are highly intensive. This policy has created as split between the hard drugs and soft and drugs scenes, and it is paying off.
Research shows that there is virtually no graduation of users from soft to hard drugs.
A range of care has been developed for hard drug users. The methadone buses operate seven days a week from four regular locations in the city. The methadone programme brings the City Health Department into daily contact with some 1000 hard drugs users. Drugs users needing other forms of care, are referred to the appropriate unit. The provision of methadone enables users to continue functioning more or less normally within society.