Rotterdam’s Anti-Drug Campaign Backfires: Street Signs Stolen, DrugUse Remains Rampant
Rotterdam, Netherlands – A novel anti-drug campaignin Rotterdam has backfired spectacularly, with street signs featuring drug-themed names being stolen en masse just days after their installation. The city’s attempt toraise awareness about the dark side of drug use by renaming streets like Coolsingel to Cokesingel and Emmalaan to MDMA-laan has instead become a popular souvenir among students.
The initiative, launched by the city council to combat the estimated 63,000 lines of cocaine, 2,500 ecstasy pills, and 11,000 portions of speed consumed daily in Rotterdam, aimed to highlight the connection between drug use and the city’s rampant drug crime. However, the signs, which also included names like Groene Pillendijk and Wijnhaven, have been quickly snatched up, with reports of students proudly displaying them in their dorm rooms.
We are not at all surprised that the signs were stolen so quickly, a city spokesperson told regional broadcaster Rijnmond. It was to be expected. We do ask the thieves in question to memorizethe message behind the signs and to discuss it with each other.
The theft of the signs has sparked debate about the effectiveness of the campaign. While some see it as a humorous, albeit unintended, consequence, others worry that it undermines the city’s efforts to address the serious issue of drug use.
A pill or a line of coke on Saturday seems so innocent, said Alderman for enforcement, outdoor space, and mobility Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer. But it isn’t when you realize the severe impact drug trafficking has in our city, in our streets, and on our residents. With this campaign,we want to give users a wider view of their own reality.
Despite the stolen signs, the city remains committed to its anti-drug campaign, which also includes posters and slogans like Haal jij je neus ervoor op? (Do you turn your nose up at it?) and Kijk verder dan je lijntje lang is (Look beyond your line). The city hopes to break the normalization of drug use and encourage open dialogue about its consequences.
The incident highlights the complex challenges faced by cities grappling with drug use and its associated crime. While the city’s intentions were noble, the theft of the signs serves as a starkreminder of the disconnect between awareness campaigns and the realities of drug use. It remains to be seen whether Rotterdam can find a more effective way to engage its residents in the fight against drug addiction and crime.
References:
- Rijnmond (2024). Thieves grab Rotterdam narcotic nickname street signs soonafter anti-drug push starts. Retrieved from https://www.nltimes.nl/2024/10/03/thieves-grab-rotterdam-narcotic-nickname-street-signs-soon-after-anti-drug-push-starts
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