The images of the body of a good neighbor and a great colleague are still fresh in my mind. Derk Wiersum was shot in cold blood in front of his house and leaves behind a wife and two children.

But he also leaves us all with the feeling that the Netherlands is in a slightly worse position again, that another dark line that was almost thought impossible has been crossed, that we are losing control.

That feeling and the reality of his murder will have to bring politicians into action. The minister will have to look further than he would like and take more measures than is desirable in our society.

As far as I’m concerned, that also means that we have to wage a war against drug use. Of course, the many people among us who snort a line at the weekend are not responsible for Derk’s murder, but there is a connection between the sales market for cocaine and the parallel economy in which smuggling and trading take place.

Drug use among some has become common and accessible. Cocaine on order, delivered by scooter within 20 minutes, is the most normal procedure. But we must realize that behind these delivery services lies a terrible and ruthless mafia.

The cocaine user must realize that, we must realize that and the minister must act accordingly. Just as we believe that we, as a tiny country, should draw up an environmental delta plan, despite the fact that it is a drop in the ocean, we will also have to wage the war against drug use.

As a society, we cannot afford to allow mafia gangs to rule the roost and we as citizens run the risk of being part of it. After all, we don’t wish anyone to have their brother murdered because he is a key witness, to have your loved one murdered by mistake, to be accidentally shot in a community center as a teenager, or to have your father and husband murdered in the course of his profession as a lawyer. .

If we do not want to risk being the next victim, we will have to actively assist society. That means removing cocaine from our society. For better or for worse. It is our turn as citizens. The memory of Derk deserves that.