Amsterdam Coffeeshops

The following pages are for the purposes of education and information only. This should not be considered in any way to condone the use of cannabis, marijuana or other mind-altering substances. Coffee shops news 2013.

Coffeeshops, not to be confused with cafés, have been a part of Amsterdam since the 1970s, when the Dutch government made a clear distinction in the law between 'hard' and 'soft' drugs. Unlike Amsterdam's fully legal smart shops, coffeeshops have always existed in a legal grey area. Today, Amsterdam's City Council, through agreement with the coffeeshop union Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten (BCD), allows 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.

One of the major events for coffeeshops in Amsterdam is the High Times Cannabis Cup, which takes place towards the end of November, during the week of Thanksgiving. This major smoking event usually leads to coffeeshop crawls and cannabis clouds throughout the city.

Amsterdam Drug Laws
The Netherlands has a special tolerance policy on soft drugs, but if we look at the laws:
- Possession of drugs is punishable, again, with a maximum of 5 grams of cannabis (weed, marihuana or hash) the police will seize the drugs, but you can give them up and you will not be prosecuted.
- If you have more soft drugs than the quantity for personal use (5 gram) you will be fined and risk a prison sentence
- Minors are not allowed to have any drugs, the tolerance policy does not apply to them, so you must be 18 or over to buy drugs
- Growing weed at home is illegal, however 5 plants or less you can give them up and you will generally not be prosecuted
- Hard drugs are not allowed, import and export of drugs is illegal,
- You cannot smoke in public, and use of soft drugs like smoking weed is not allowed either

Coffee shops
You must get to a coffee shop to buy weed. You’ll find about 200 coffee shops in Amsterdam, so there is always one close to your location. Although coffee shops are not allowed to make any advertising, you will be able to identify them easily. Official Dutch coffee shops have a green and while licence sticker in the window. In order to enter a coffee shop, you must be 18 or over and have an ID. Coffee shops are not allowed to sell alcohol.
Most coffee shops have a menu. Since coffee shops are not allowed to do any advertising, you will generally not find any details posted on the door or even inside. Just ask the person at the counter for the menu, and they’ll give you what you need. A general rule of thumb is: the more expensive, the stronger the weed. For inexperienced smokers a gram of weed will get you high about 6 times and you should be able to make at least 3 joints nice from a single gram. Ask for advice if you are not sure, these people are here to make sure everything is safe.

Some tips
The THC levels in Dutch weed are normally higher than what you are used to. Dutch Nederweed contains about 15-18% THC, while foreign weed only contains about 7.5% THC. The THC level in hash is about 19%. So, ask for advice from the coffee shop about the type, strength and effect of the drugs. If you don’t know how strong it is, take a small puff from the joint and wait for 1-2 minutes to see the effect. Inhaling deeply is not needed for the THC to enter your lungs. The effects will last 2-4 hours.
Many coffee shops sell coffee and tea, juice and some even sell milkshakes.
Eco drugs (with the exception of mushrooms) are still allowed. Valerian, Fly Amanita, Ginseng, Jimson weed, and Guarana can still be sold in so called smart shops selling alternative health products.

If you eat hash or weed (in a space cake /pot brownies for instance) it might take up to two hours to show any effect, do not take a second piece! The effects last 4-6 hours and the after effects up to 12 hours.
Any combination of drugs and alcohol will increase the change of a headache, but also of a bad trip, panic and anxiety attacks, intense unpredictable trips and are generally a bad idea. Drugs affect your ability to drive and perform sexually. Drinking plenty of water or isotone drinks will keep your fluid balance at the right level, allowing your kidneys to remove all toxins. After a good night out eating protein rich food (meat, fish, bananas, and nuts) will help you recover more quickly). Drinking coffee will remove more liquid from your body, increasing the chance of headaches. Fruit and veggies with lots of vitamins can also help you recover more quickly.

What is not allowed: Any hard drug (like cocaine, LSD, heroin, morphine, MDMA) and magic mushrooms (over 200 varieties of hallucinogenic mushrooms), and qat (khat, mira). You are not allowed to grow any weed in your home, but in the unlikely event you are arrested with 5 grams of hash or less or 5 cannabis plants, all you have to do is hand them in and that’s that – you will not be prosecuted. Large scale professional plantations are actively tracked down by police helicopters with infrared cameras. Owners of weed plantations face heavy penalties and can be evicted.

Public smoking is not allowed anymore, you are only allowed to smoke cigarettes in designated areas (bars and discos generally have a sealed smoking area, and you are only allowed to smoke near a smoking pole on the train station). Joints without tobacco can be enjoyed in the coffee shops. Like discos, coffee shops have a separate smoking area where you can smoke tobacco joints.
Amsterdam also has a unique traffic sign: “Blowverbod” A sign prohibiting blowing, so if you see this, no smoking of hash or other drugs is allowed.

When visiting a dance party, there is a big chance you’ll be searched for drugs, any amount of drug may be confiscated.
Driving under the influence of drugs is not allowed, and is treated the same as drunk driving.

Weedpass
To round it all off, we have or I should say had the “Wietpas”? What was it? Up to 19 November 2012, many of the coffee shops in the Southern provinces of the Netherlands required you to have a “weedpass”, an official membership card which allowed you to buy drugs. These would be issued only to the locals. The idea was to stop the drug tourism. Nowadays an ID and the proof of residency (extract from the Municipal Personal Records Database) suffice and “Wietpas” does not exist anymore. Amsterdam has always been an exception, so any tourist could enter a coffee shop and buy some weed.

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Royal Queen Seeds When you would like to try growing your own Amsterdam quality buds at home, check out the seed shop of Royal Queen Seeds. They have been developing high quality cannabis seeds for over 20 years and guarantee worldwide safe shipping. Website: www.royalqueenseeds.com

Coffeeshop The Rookies A unique coffeeshop and hotel located just off Leidseplein. Lively crowd of tourists, expats and locals, with a publike atmosphere and a large smoking lounge. Address: Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 145-147 Web: www.rookies.nl

Coffeeshop Abraxas Chilled out, rambling coffeeshop with two locations in the city centre. Colourful mosaics and large couches dominate, giving Abraxas a real hippy feel. Address: Jonge Roelensteeg 12-14 Web: www.abraxas.tv

Coffeeshop YO YO "While ambling through the Albert Cuypmarkt, I happened upon a quaint little coffeeshop named Yo-Yo. Well lit and welcoming, the atmosphere was unlike any other shop I had visited on my 4 visits to A'dam. The staff were very friendly with more of a cafe' feeling than a coffeeshop." Thomas from Austin, Texas. Address: 2e Jan van der Heijdenstraat Near to the Albert Cuyp, Pijp quarter, Amsterdam

Coffeeshop Pinkfloyd A pink pig marks the entrance to this warm and friendly coffeshop where Pinkfloyd music is often on play. Here you can surf the Internet while enjoying a sandwich - just short walk from the central station. Haarlemmerstraat 44 Web: www.pinkfloyd.nl

Cafe The Dolphins Lively and smoke-friendly cafe conveniently located near to Leidsplein. Coffee, beer, all kind of drinks. Free wi-fi Internet is also available around. Thought, not selling gear anymore... Address: Kerkstraat 39 Web: www.thedolphinscafe.com

Coffeeshop Little Very little basement club, just downstairs from the sidewalk, don't bump your head. Not a tourist place (what is also good for tourists of course!), but a quite friendly crew, stuff at little prices. Address: Vijzelgracht 47

Coffeeshop Mellow Yellow The first coffeeshop in Amsterdam ever, a smoking reminder of 70s, still an enjoyeable break from the packed tourist places in the centre. Address: Vijzelgracht 33

Coffeeshop Bulldog - Leidseplein Address: Leidseplein Web: www.bulldog.nl

Coffeeshop Get Down to IT Almost at the Leidseplein, this is the Internet coffeeshop, but also has a bar and pool tables. Address: Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 77-79

Coffeeshop Choice Exact Located on a busy tourist street off the Dam square, this old-style coffeeshop is suitable also for groups who like drink beers while paying pool or table football. Address: Oude Hoogstraat 9 Open: Sun-Thu 12.00 -1.00 am, Fri-Sat 12.00 - 3.00 am.

Coffeeshop Johnny A tiny coffeeshop in the very heard of Jordaan. Address: Elandsgracht 3

Coffeeshop Rokerij (Leidseplein) Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 41 Open Sun-Thu 10:00 am to 01:00 am (3:00 am weekends). Web: www.rokerij.net

Coffeeshop Grasshopper A spacious touristy coffeeshop just off Damrak towards red lights, with a terrace in summer, plus a bar and restaurant upstairs. Oudebrugsteeg 16 Web: www.grasshopper.nl

Backstage Address: Utrechtsedwarsstraat 67

Ballonnetje Address: Roeterstraat 12

Coffeeshop Barneys Haarlemmerstraat 102 Web: www.barneys-amsterdam.com

Coffeeshop Betty Boop Nieuwezijds Kolk 12

Coffeeshop Blue Bird St. Antonibreestraat 71

Coffeeshop Coin and The Sower Warmoestraat 37

Cum Laude Coffeeshop Langebrugsteeg 7a

Coffeeshop Dampkring Handboogstraat 29

Coffeeshop De Kuil Oudebrugsteeg 27 Web: www.cannabis-cafe.com

Coffeeshop Dutch Flowers Singel 387

Coffeeshop Fatal Flower Stadhouderskade 46

Coffeeshop Free Adam Oude hoogstraat 13 Web: www.freeadam.com

Coffeeshop Front Page Zoutsteeg 14

Coffeeshop Global Chillage Kerkstraat 51 Web: www.globalchillage.com

Coffeeshop Greenhouse Tolstraat 91

Coffeeshop Greenhouse center Oudezijds Voorburgwal 191

Coffeeshop Greenhouse effect Warmoesstraat 55

Coffeeshop Greenhouse II Waterlooplein 345

Coffeeshop Grey Area Oude Leliestraat 2

Coffeeshop Headshop Kloverniersburgwal 39

Coffeeshop Homegrown Fantasy Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 87a

Coffeeshop Interpolm Prins Hendrikkade 11

Jolly Joker Coffee Shop Nieuwmarkt 4A Phone: +31 (20) 625-1227

Coffeeshop Kadinsky Rosmarijnsteeg 9

Coffeeshop Kruydenhuys Keizersgracht 665

Coffeeshop La Canna Nieuwendijk 123-125

Coffeeshop Machu Picchu Amstel 32

Coffeeshop Paradox Bloemdwarsstraat 2

Coffeeshop Rusland Rusland 14-16

Coffeeshop Sensemillia Zoelenkerkstraat 1

Coffeeshops Siberie Brouwersgracht 11

Coffeeshops Stix Utrechtstestraat 21

Coffeeshops T-Boat Oude Schans 134

Coffeeshop The Noon Zieseniskade 22 Web: www.thenoon.net

Coffeeshops Tweede kamer Heisteeg 6

Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory
The most comprehensive web site on coffeeshops in Amsterdam.
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