The Municipal Interests faction in De Wolden wants research to be conducted into drug use in the municipality. The party therefore proposes to have a sewage water study carried out.
“To uncover the exact figures for drug use,” says Petra Haanstra, chairman of Municipal Interests. The proposal was put forward during the council meeting on Thursday evening during the discussion of the budget. According to the party, there is little insight into drug use and the associated problems in the municipality and that must change.
But not everyone is immediately interested in such a study. “Are drugs a bigger problem than alcohol in the municipality?” Marcel van Hulst of the VVD wondered out loud. Henk van IJzendoorn of GroenLinks called the alcohol consumption in De Wolden ‘disastrous’.
GL party member Eline Kipper-van Lint stated that De Wolden is number one in the Netherlands when it comes to alcohol consumption. “Research into alcohol use is also important, but we think that a lot of drugs are used. That is why we want a measurement,” Haanstra said.
According to Mayor Inge Nieuwenhuizen, GroenLinks’ statement on alcohol use in the municipality is more nuanced. “We score the worst in De Wolden among people under 18 compared to the other municipalities in Drenthe.”
Nieuwenhuizen indicates that there is not a good picture of drug use in De Wolden, because the figures from the GGD are difficult to obtain. “There are many parents who have major concerns about it, and we speak to them too.”
The costs for a sewage study are around 30,000 euros, the mayor said. Nevertheless, Nieuwenhuizen sees opportunities if the decision is made to conduct the research. “It can be viewed per village. We get a better picture.”
However, the municipality first wants to come up with a prevention plan for both alcohol and drugs. The sewage water research could be part of this.