Biographical note

FrederikPolak, PhD

psychiatrist

  • member of The Netherlands Drug Policy
  • Foundation and VOC,
  • Amsterdam, The Netherlands

One of the most experienced and respected Dutch psychiatrists in the field of drug use, Frederik Polak worked as a consultant-psychiatrist at the Drug Department of the Community Health Services (GGD) for thirteen years (1994-2003) and is one of the most authoritative voices in the social and political debate on drug policy, in the Netherlands and beyond.

From 2009-2013 Frederik was president of ENCOD (European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies). He is member of  the board of The Netherlands Drug Policy Foundation (Stichting Drugsbeleid), Association for the Repeal of Cannabisprohibition (VOC – Vereniging voor Opheffing van het Cannabisverbod).

He has written and co-authored numerous articles and reports including Drugsbeheersing door Legalisatie (Drug Management through Legalisation), Thinking About Drug Law Reform: Some Political Dynamics of Medicalization, and American Criticism of Dutch Drug Policy Unfounded.

Lectures and workshops on our seminars

2014 Regulation of Marijuana Markets and the Fate of Drug Prohibition Abstract