Prosecutors in the Netherlands also abide by the expediency rule, which states that cases must move through the judicial system efficiently. This rule gives prosecutors discretionary power over cases. The government wants to focus on treating drug addiction so that the abusers can be reintegrated into society. Examples of these services are methadone maintenance centers in which Dutch citizens can receive an injection of methadone. The Dutch government spends NLG 160 million per year to provide for this care.
Prevention is another big element of the policy.
The government believes that its task is to prevent people, young in particular, from unthinkingly using drugs without knowing fully the possible effects that the drugs could have on their bodies. The Dutch hope that through education of the side effects and the lifestyle of an user, people will choose on their own not to engage in drug use. The government also follows a reduction in crime as a reason for the lax policy. The Dutch government believes that drugs become cheaper under the current legal framework. Instituting a repressive law enforcement environment against drugs creates a lucrative black market for the substances.