The Smart Travel Guide

Amsterdam has become the famous town of coffee shops and space cakes. But what is it all about? These coffee shops are not the same thing with the common cafés and have appeared in the capital of Holland since the 70’s, when there was made a clear distinction between ‘hard’ and ’soft’ drugs. Hookers and hookahs are all around every canal. The City Council through an agreement with the coffeeshop union Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten have allowed these coffeeshops to operate with the provision of set, non-transferable licences, shown by the display of an official, green and white sticker in the window.

If you want to try hard drugs inside these coffeeshops you will be very quickly asked to leave the place, as testing these kind of drugs is illegal. Since 2008, the tobacco ban forbade everyone to smoke dangerous substances at work. Pure cannabis joints may still be smoked as normal, as may bongs, pipes and joints made with the special ‘herbal smoking mixtures’ provided by some coffeeshops.

However, there are coffeshops that allow their customers to smoke joints containing tobacco in the ’smoking area’. Passers-by can easily notice these shops as a specific smoke is everywhere in the neighbourhood. According to the law, coffeeshops are not allowed to sell more than 5 grams of cannabis per customer, unless they prove they are over 18. Moreover, selling cannabis and alcohol on the same premises is forbidden. When entering a coffeeshop, even for the first time, you are invited to see a weed menu, in a form of a book. Then, you will be shown a plastic bag with your marijuana or hash inside, and you can take it with you or try it there.

If smoking it there, you will most probably have to order a drink, too. Pay very much attention to what you try, as some substances may prove too strong for you. What is ok for the others, doesn’t have to be ok for you, too. When ordering a space cake, ask the staff about the drug amount – it can ruin your night. There are also events connected to the use of this ‘drug’-items, for instance, High Times Cannabis Cup, that takes place in Amsterdam, during the Thanksgiving week, leading to great amounts of Cannabis-users all around the city.

Tags: Amsterdam, coffee shops, drugs, holland

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