DUTCH DRUG TRADE, ATTITUDES DISTURB SOUDER

Holland's liberal drug laws have led to a surge of a synthetic amphetamine
Ecstasy being exported to the United States, Rep. Mark Souder, R-4th, said
Tuesday, but there's no need to punish the Dutch with tougher trade rules
or other sanctions.

"I think they want to figure out how to respect our laws," he said. "If
they want to have regulated free pot and free prostitution and gambling and
porn videos all over the place, that's their business."

But when Holland's internal policies start affecting the United States,
Souder said, that's another matter.

Souder returned Tuesday after a trip to Holland, France and Italy with
three other members of Congress. Discussing the export of Ecstasy to the
United States from Holland was high on their agenda.

He said Dutch officials tried to convince the congressional delegation that
U.S. drug laws are too restrictive.

"I found their arguments non-compelling," said Souder, whose legislative
career has included extensive work on tightening drug laws.

"I believe they are trying to do the right thing," he said of Dutch
officials, "but there is a huge difference in how we approach issues. We
have a more moral base; they don't have a moral base."

For example, he said, less than 20 percent of the Dutch population attends
church regularly.

"They don't believe that there's anything wrong with having full
plate-glass windows with women in their lingerie basically becoming a meat
market for guys who want to hire them. Some do 40 tricks a day," he said.

He said the attitude is the same with drugs. Marijuana, though regulated,
is legal.

Souder said that although Ecstasy is illegal, "it's a wink, wink if you
have three pills or less." Souder said what is worrisome for the United
States is that 80 percent of imported Ecstasy comes from Holland.