Have you heard of anyone smoking a joint and then starting a riot?

Ronald Dam, Amsterdam Cannabis College

The authorities are also hoping that England supporters may take advantage of Holland's notoriously relaxed drug laws.

In Amsterdam and Eindhoven, where Kevin Keegan's boys play their first match on Monday, it will be business as usual for the coffee shops which double up as cannabis caf�s.

Police are quietly hoping that rowdy supporters will be pacified by a few puffs on Dutch-made marijuana.

Half the alcohol - will fans just drink twice as much?

Desperate measures? Both tactics are definitely an unusual approach to crowd-control, but will the over-excited fans be lulled by such ploys? And if so, what other secret weapons could the Dutch and Belgians unleash?

When it comes to beer, some fans may find it hard to detect the difference between Festival Beer - the specially-weakened Euro 2000 brew which contains just 2.5% alcohol - and a traditional English ale.

But for those younger drinkers who have been weaned on Continental-strength lagers, the low-alcohol brew will be a sore disappointment.

Has sir decided which beer?

However, it would be a different matter in Belgium, where bars have beer menus and brewing is a matter of national pride. When even a moderate Belgian brew carries the kick of Carlsberg Special Brew, halving the alcohol content would make little difference to the drinker.

The drugs issue seems more popular. Famed for their liberal leanings, the Dutch have had a relaxed attitude to soft drugs, which are decriminalised in Holland.

...and relax. Chocolates could calm the English fans

Hopes that over-zealous England fans will "chill out" with a joint might sound fanciful, but Ronald Dam, founder of Amsterdam's Cannabis College, asks: "Have you heard of anyone smoking a joint and then starting a riot?"

There are about 230 coffee shops in Amsterdam and at least 10 in Eindhoven.

A spokesman for the mayor of Eindhoven, Raen Welfche, said: "We are not worried about the use of cannabis. We hope that people who come to the city and are curious about its effects will take it in an informed way."

But before fans choose to indulge - "in an informed way" - they should take heed of a warning issued by Gary Lineker and David Ginola.

The pair have teamed up for an information film warning English supporters not to bring home any "souvenirs".

Fans who follow England to Charleroi for their match against Germany should also be aware the Belgian authorities are not tolerant of soft drugs.

Van Gogh: Maybe for those days between England matches

However, have the Belgians considered lavishing their guests with chocolates? The country is home to probably the world's finest chocolates, something that could explain the relaxed demeanour of its inhabitants.

Research has revealed that chocolate contains valeric acid, which is a relaxant and tranquilliser.

Also, there is evidence sugar in chocolate may reduce stress - sugar has been shown to have a calming and pain-relieving effect on babies and animals because sweet tastes activate opiate-like substances in our brain.

Picture this

Both countries have a wealth of art treasures on show to tourists. In the football fans and the art set would have been almost mutually exclusive.

But times have changed at home. Soccer has won over many in the chattering classes while the once stuffy art world has consciously opened itself up to a wider audience.

So maybe a stroll through the hushed corridors of the Beaux Art Museum, there is one in Brussels and Charleroi, or the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, would do wonders for calming the temperament.

It's an outside chance, but no more than England winning the final.