Drugs policy: Who Does It Best?

Drugs policy: Who Does It Best?

Author: Katy Lee and Dominic Kraemer November 7, 2025 Duration: 1:00:39

Should weed be legalised? What about heroin? Set aside any previously held opinions and prepare a far-out trip! In the final episode of 'Who Does It Best?' producer Wojciech is taking us across the landscape of Europe’s drug policies. From 90s Portugal to the coffee shops of Amsterdam to a little pit stop in Uruguay(!), we’re taking a deep dive into which policies are the sanest and safest on offer.

MASSIVE THANKS: We want to give a HUGE shoutout to everyone who made this series possible. Our generous crowdfunders hit our goal within two months, making it possible for us to do extensive reporting fully independently. Our hearts are beyond full. Thank you.

BOOST THE SHOW: If you liked the series and want to help us spread the good word, we’ve prepared some social media posts that you can download and share. Here they are! We’d be eternally grateful if you influenced your followers with our snappy graphics ✨

DON’T QUIT WHILE YOU’RE AHEAD: If you’re feeling inspired to support The Europeans’ ongoing work, please go to patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can drop us a few euros or dollars or francs or crowns or whatever the heck ya got.

 

Additional resources for this episode: 


Written, reported and produced by: Wojciech Oleksiak

Editor: Jasmin Baoumy 

Editorial support: Dominic Kraemer, Katz Laszlo, Katy Lee, Morgan Childs

Sound design: Jesse Lou Lawson

Mixing and mastering: Wojciech Oleksiak

Music and SFX: Jim Barne, Epidemic, FreeSound.org

Artwork: RTiiiKA

 

Thanks to everyone who sat down with Wojciech to share their expertise, including Tom Decorte, Katrin Schiffer, Annika Apfel, Malu Salazar, Cedric Chervet, Adam Nowotarski, Peter Sarosi, Ferry, the De Barones crew, Reinoud van Delft, Gośka, Yahya, Leonie, AMOC clients Bouhz and Damian, Breda’s coffeeshop owners. Special thanks go to Leonie, Tom, Łukasz and Michał.

 

Stay safe out there!


YouTube | Bluesky | Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | hello@europeanspodcast.com

 

00:00:43 Intro: Rockstar life and drugs
00:09:55 Act I: Soft drugs, tolerance and the myth of legal weed
00:23:15 Act II: You gotta regulate that thing!
00:30:43 Act III: Total decriminalization
00:49:05 Act IV: Legalise everything, regulate everything


Every week, Katy Lee and Dominic Kraemer sit down to untangle the stories shaping the continent, moving beyond the headlines to find the human threads within European news, politics, and culture. Their conversations feel like joining two well-informed friends who are genuinely curious, offering clarity on complex political shifts in Brussels one moment and diving into a compelling film from Berlin or a novel from Lisbon the next. This isn't about dry analysis; it's about understanding the forces that define daily life from Dublin to Sofia. In this The Europeans podcast, you'll hear interviews with policymakers, artists, and everyday people, all contributing to a richer, more nuanced picture of a region in constant motion. The tone is engaging and accessible, designed for anyone who feels that Europe's narrative is too often reduced to stereotypes or institutional jargon. By weaving together current affairs with deeper cultural trends, each episode builds a more complete and surprisingly relatable portrait. If you've ever wanted to feel more connected to the ideas and debates circulating across the Channel and beyond, this is a consistent and thoughtful guide.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Europeans | European news, politics and culture
Podcast Episodes
How to keep going when the world feels broken [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:52
This week, we wanted to ask a question that has been in our hearts and on our minds for years: Is it possible to try to make positive change in the world, and still stay healthy and sane? Dutch writer, political philosop…
How feminist economics could change Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:37
Imagine what would happen if our political, cultural, and economic leaders began to reconsider what it means to create “value” in Europe. What if we were supported to rest, to look after our families, and to enjoy oursel…
When will Europe get the trains it deserves? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:37
If you’ve ever wondered where all the affordable night trains are, or struggled to book tickets for an international journey, or spent hours of your one wild and precious life petitioning for compensation for a significa…
What do the Epstein files reveal about Europe’s elite? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:00
It has been an absolutely Awful Week for everyone who has been paying attention to the latest release of the Epstein files, both on this continent and around the world. We’re taking a look at what the documents reveal ab…
The Europeans: Ask Us Anything [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:46
A very special bienvenue to this very special episode of The Europeans! This week, the entire team gathered in person in a swanky studio in Paris to answer some of your burning questions, from “How do you stay sane when…
A European social network for the WTF era [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:30
By popular demand (and thanks to Dominic’s singing schedule), our silly, brilliant Luxembourger-in-chief Nina Lamparski is back in the hosting chair – and she’s brought her longstanding grudge against Elon Musk with her.…
The UK and the EU: best buds again? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:23
You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Europe is bigger than Davos this week, but we’ve got three great stories to remind you. First up: it’s been a good week for Berliners making Kartoffelsalat, Kartoffelsuppe, Kartoffel…
ChatGPT is ruining weddings now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:37
If you are the sort of person whose New Year’s resolutions read something like: “(1) Shoot for the moon, (2) Do what you love, (3) Change the world” – have we got a guest for you! We’re joined this week by former Iceland…
2026: The year Europe gets its act together? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:11
We are returning from our winter holidays feeling refreshed, renewed, and optimistic about 2026. Ha ha ha ha! No, but seriously, Trump’s capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores was the Ne…
Pavarotti is trapped in an ice rink [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:26
It’s that time of year when we gather together with friends from near and far, indulge in seasonal treats, and take a lighthearted look at the stories that are rounding out these past 12 wild months. It’s our annual Chri…