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Amsterdam is well known for its liberal drugs policy - and now a youth group is to open an ecstasy shop.

The Dutch Liberal Democrats youth wing said they were launching the unusual venture to highlight the need for regulation of the party drug, rather than prohibition.

The shop, which will only distribute placebo pills, will open in the city centre Rosmarijnsteeg at 11am on Monday.

The group's aspiration is to legally regulate the distribution of MDMA instead of it being left in the hands of street dealers and drug gangs.

(Image: Google Maps)

Their website MDMJA.nl, said: "We can prevent minors from buying, make sure there is no overdose in pills and educate people on ways to minimise the risks involved with ecstasy use."

The shop will only open for one day with the intention to open up a debate about the decriminalisation of MDMA to the Dutch parliament.

The group need 40,000 signatures on a petition to bring the issue up for debate.