This list was based on a survey done with members of the popular Dam Jam Facebook group. These members are what you would consider “pro smokers” and frequent coffeeshop-visitors. Most of the members are from United Kingdom.

This Facebook page has a total of 16.032 members and based on more than 70 responses and votes we’ve made this list containing the 10 worst coffeeshops in Amsterdam for 2019.

Please note that if you are a first time smoker, or irregular smoker probably all the weed that is served at these coffeeshops in Amsterdam will be more than enough for you to have a good time! 🙂

1. Winner Of The 10 Worst Coffeeshops In Amsterdam List: The Dolphins

Dolphins is no doubt the most original coffeeshop on this list. It sports a tacky underwater sea world interior that is worth a visit alone. However there is a large consensus within Dam Jam with 18 votes: lousy staff attitude and even more lousy products. One reviewer had an in our opinion quite funny bad experience:

“The woman in there called me a common thief for charging my phone and called a bunch of men to come and remove me from the shop. F*CK Dolphins. worst spot ever.”

“Dolphins , nowhere else comes close , staff attitude is shit and the product is even worse.”

“Personally I like the dolphin. The lady in there is crazy but found her fun.”

“Dolphins budtenders first class nasty b*tch.”

2. The Bulldog Coffeeshops

Founded in 1975 by Henk de Vries, this is the 3rd coffeeshop in Amsterdam. Although The Bulldog is a very famous brand and frequently described in travel-books, among the true experts it’s called the McDonald’s of Amsterdam coffeeshops.

If you’re looking for quality products you should skip The Bulldog coffeeshops. With 12 votes cast it’s the worst (and only) coffeeshop chain on our list. Some reviewers however point out that these shops are perfect for just chilling.

“The worst coffeeshops in Amsterdam? All of the Bulldogs.“

“The Bulldog, so rude, uptight, unfriendly, and cocky for no reason.”

“Bulldogs fine for chilling , more of a jam spot.”

3. Superskunk Is A Flunk

Superskunk is located at Prinsengracht, which is pretty close to Leidse Square, one of Amsterdam’s main entertainment areas. It’s a pretty large coffeeshop, which you wouldn’t expect based on the exterior of the place. Superskunk hosts a nice large chill area in the back. A common complaint is that Superskunk is overpriced with inferior products. For this they got a total of 8 votes against them.

“Worst coffeeshops in Amsterdam? Superskunk, as they spray flavour on their weed.”

“Superskunk only draws in people due to its flashiness”

4. Prix D’Ami Doesn’t Deliver The Goods

A great coffeeshop for chilling and at an easy to reach location just 5 minutes from Amsterdam Central Station. It’s actually the largest coffeeshop in the world with over 500 seats and 36 large flat screens that play a variety of entertainment.

For those who like to play some pool they also have 6 pool tables. Their products aren’t highly rated by Dam Jam members with 7 votes against them.

“Prix D’Ami is a garbage shop with over priced tumbled flowers from Spain, but labeled USA on the menu.”

“Their ammo haze was shit.”

5. Popeye Doesn’t Serve The Good Spinach

Coffeeshop Popeye is located in the heart of Amsterdam, just a 5 minute walk from Amsterdam Central station. The psychedelic wall paintings will surely get your head spinning whilst smoking some weed. However, coffeeshop Popeye also gets accused of spraying flavour on their weed.

“Popeyes for the same reason, they also spray flavour on their weed.“

6. Smokey’s Is All Smoked Out

Coffeeshop smokey’s is more of a club/ party cafe than an actual coffeeshop. It’s located on Amsterdam’s Rembrandt Square, one of the cities main entertainment areas, and it is one of the few “shops” where you can still drink alcohol and smoke a joint. The products aren’t highly rated and there are also some complaints about the bouncers at the door.

“it’s the bouncers that always put me off.”

7. Coffeeshop The Stud Has Lost Its Mojo

This coffeeshop is located in the east of Amsterdam, far away from the touristy areas. Founded back in 1982 it has been in the game for quite some time . A common complaint is that the staff there are really unfriendly. We can’t say, based off the reviews, if the staff is just being unfriendly to foreign tourists or to every visitor.

“I never felt welcome in The Stud.”

“The Stud was just so unfriendly when I went there… looks like we’ll never go there again and the weed isn’t that good either.”

8. Coffeeshop Resin Should Resign

This is probably the first shop you’ll walk passed in Amsterdam as it’s located almost opposite to Amsterdam’s Central Station. It’s a small coffeeshop with a futuristic green interior. It shares a 9th place on this list together with coffeeshop Rockland. Resin was described by one customer as being his least favourite place on this planet. For this reason we put it above coffeeshop Rockland. 🙂

“Resin! 100% the worst place on earth.”

9. Coffeeshop Rockland Isn’t Rockin’ It

This coffeeshop is located very close Dam Square and Amsterdam’s Royal Palace. It hosts quite a nice and large terrace outside for those who like to smoke in the sunshine. The shop itself is very small and is located in the basement of the property. The bad reviews basically consisted of poop emoji’s. Make of that what you will.

“💩“

10. Coffeeshop Het Gelderse Is Making A Comeback?

Closing off our 10 worst coffeeshops in Amsterdam list is Het Gelderse on the Geldersekade in the Red Light District. This coffeeshop can probably best be described as a back-to-basics shop because it doesn’t really have a theme except for Che Guevara’s face. The location is in the more relaxed part of the Red Light District and when the sun is out you can sit outside. This coffeeshop is getting bad ratings for their product but some members made the point that Gelderse has improved a lot recently.

“Het Gelderse used to be absolute ass but i’ve heard they’ve severely upped their game in the last year or two.”

ALSO DISCOVER:

10 Sex Shows in Amsterdam

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12 Amsterdam Must Eat Snacks

The post Top 10 Worst Coffeeshops In Amsterdam in 2026 appeared first on Tours in Amsterdam.

Cocaine, heroin and opium: it’s hard to imagine now, but these drugs were completely legal in Amsterdam at the beginning of the 20th-century. It was even produced here! Learn everything about drugs in Amsterdam here below.

Dutch Cocaine Factory in Amsterdam

On the corner of the Eerste Schinkelstraat / Schinkelkade in Amsterdam stood the Dutch Cocaine factory, where cocaine was made from Indian coca leaves. Completely legal from 1900 to the early 1960s. Intended for medicinal use, but it is not hard to imagine that it was soon abused.

Definition of Cocaine

Cocaine is a white crystalline alkaloid derived from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca). It is used primarily as an illicit stimulant drug.

Cocaine Factory in The Netherlands

People could even invest in the Dutch Cocaine Factory by buying stocks.

But far before the Dutch Cocaine Factory, cocaine in Amsterdam was already a widely used medicine for all kinds of ailments. Already in 1870, a man named José Alvarez owned his own drug lab on Zeedijk 16 (a street in Amsterdam Red Light District) where he produced cocaine and sold it in pill form in his shop. Completely legal! The pills were a great success.

Designer Drugs

The coolest Amsterdammers, however, were not using cocaine pills. At the end of the 19th century, the young writers and poets of the Eighties-renewing literary movement took advantage of a now-unknown substance known as ‘Broomkali’, a strong tranquilizer.

It ensured that Dutch poet Willem Kloos became completely paranoid and tried to kill his colleague Pet Tideman in a fit of madness. They lived together with co-editor Hein Boeken in what is nowadays known as the Witsenhuis, Oosterpark 82 – in the east of Amsterdam. Their downstairs neighbor was painter Isaac Israëls who went crazy because of the gentlemen’s nocturnal drinking and drug sessions.

Eventually Willem Kloos ended up in the madhouse where he was helped by electroshocks from alcohol and drugs. That was at the expense of his writing, because after that Willem Kloos didn’t write much.

Alcoholism in Amsterdam

Nonetheless, also in in that time, alcohol was the intoxication that was used most and caused most nuisance too. Figures from the Dutch police from 1915 show that 20% of all trials were verbally related to public drunkenness.

Government campaigns of the time were aimed at combating alcohol abuse, and there were several associations that advocated total abstention. Of these, ‘De Blauwe Knoop’ was the best known. The expression ‘being a member of the blue knot’ has been a character for years for someone who does not drink alcohol.

It is not strange that alcohol was a problem back then: Amsterdam has a long history with alcohol. From the earliest beginnings of the city – from the 13th-century -, beer has been the most drunk beverage for centuries. The locals drunk alcohol from the early mornings until late in the evening. Back then, there was no clean drinking water and tea & coffee were not yet known.

Alcohol fact:

Dutch people drank 300 liters of beer per year, nowadays it is 70 liters.

Although the beer back then was on the slack side – alcohol content around 3% – it must have been noticeable that the entire city from young to old was in a permanent, slightly misted state.

And everyone walked around smelling of alcohol all day long, on top of the smell of unpolished rotten teeth. In addition, people smoked a lot of tobacco in that time. The tobacco was very heavy back then and the effect was comparable to cannabis.

Alcohol Use Among Elderly

On the basis of the most recent data in the Netherlands, it can be concluded that the number of clients who primarily seek help for alcohol in addiction care is almost as high as the number for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, ecstasy (XTC), amphetamine, GHB and other drugs combined. (Source: Trimbos)

Alcohol Statistics Netherlands

Fact: 8 out of 10 Dutch people over the age of 18 sometimes drink alcohol. 1 in 12 (8.2%) adult Dutch drink excessive (figures 2018). That is, they drink more than 14 (women) or 21 (men) glasses of alcohol per week.

Cannabis use in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, coffeeshops are businesses where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public (>18 years) is tolerated by the Dutch authorities.

Cannabis made its appearance in the 1960s. In 1972, this led to the founding of the first coffeeshop in Amsterdam, Mellow Yellow on the Weesperzijde. During the last day of 2017, the first coffeeshop in Amsterdam had to close its doors because it was too closely located to a hairdressing academy.

The government implemented a new law and decided that coffeeshops are not allowed to be closer than 250 meters to schools anymore. That meant for Mellow Yellow – founded in 1972 – that it had to close down their business for some students – mostly adults – who want to become hairdressers.

Drugs Facts

Fun fact: 7.2% of the Dutch adults used cannabis last month and 1% uses cannabis daily. (Source: Trimbos).

Fun fact: Did you know that in Amsterdam’s Red Light District it is not allowed to drink alcohol in the streets, but one can use cannabis on the streets?

Read these interesting 10 laws in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

Cannabis Laws in the Netherlands

Because soft drugs are less harmful to the health than hard drugs, other rules sometimes apply in the Netherlands. Coffeeshops may sell cannabis under strict conditions. They are not prosecuted for this. This is the essence of the tolerance policy (or gedogen-beleid in Dutch).

People will not be prosecuted in the Netherlands if they have 5 gram (or less) of cannabis.

Amsterdam Coffeeshop Laws

For the sale of hash & weed, coffeeshops in the Netherlands must adhere to rules (the tolerance criteria). A coffeeshop must meet the following conditions which are stated in Dutch laws:

• No more than 5 grams of cannabis may be sold per person per day.
• Hard drugs (like cocaine, XTC, etc.) may not be sold.
• It’s illegal to sell cannabis to people under the age of 18.
• Minors may not be admitted to a coffeeshop.
• It’s not allowed to serve alcohol.
• Coffeeshops may not advertise its drugs nor its store.
• No nuisance may be caused to the neighborhood.
• The cannabis stock of coffeeshops may not be more than 500 grams.

Coffeeshops are allowed to create their own product and service assortiment. As long as all national & local drugs laws are adhered. Clothing, food, drinks, weed grinders, mugs and other weed accessoires are frequently offered by coffeeshops in The Netherlands.

Number of Amsterdam Coffeeshops

The number of coffeeshops in Amsterdam has drastically decreased. In 1993 there were more than 400 coffeeshops. This decreased from 283 coffeeshops in the year 2000 to 174 at the end of 2015 (a decrease of 39%). Nowadays there are 164 coffeeshops in Amsterdam. (Source: Parool)

Read this article for 10 free tips for cannabis use in Amsterdam.

Heroin in Amsterdam

While (soft) drugs – like cannabis – were initially fun and harmless, the 1970s caused hardening due to the arrival of heroin. The heroin trade landed in Amsterdam and concentrated on the Zeedijk, a street in the Red Light District – just next to Central Station. The Zeedijk street was filled with street dealers, drug addicts and the corruption among police officers was quite high.

Definition of Heroin

Heroin is an opiate derived from morphine that has been chemically modified. It is used for its analgesic properties.

The Chinese mafia from Hong Kong and Singapore brought very cheap heroin to the Dutch market. At the time, heroin was even cheaper than hash, speed and opium. Because of this, very many people became addicted in a very short time. In 1980, Amsterdam had more than 10.000 heroin addicts. (Source: Jellinek)

The Zeedijk street was a no-go area for many years. But therefore also attractive for people that you would not immediately expect.

Chet Baker

Chet Baker was an American jazz musician who played trumpet and flugelhorn. He was also known for his distinctive style of playing, which included a wide vibrato and a unique sound.

Baker was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, on March 31, 1930. His father was a trombone player in a local band. At the age of five, he began taking piano lessons. In 1946, at the age of 12, he joined the Miles Davis Quintet.

He left the group in 1949 to pursue a solo career. He recorded several albums during the 1950s and 1960s, including The Sidewinder, Chet Baker Plays the Music of Charlie Parker, and The Real Thing.

Death

The world-famous American trumpet player Chet Baker could be found on and around the Zeedijk street a lot. Baker had become famous in the 1950s, playing with the best music artists in the world.

But in the 1980s he had turned into an old junkie who was always looking for his next shot. And that was nowhere easier to arrange than in Amsterdam. Baker had no fixed place of residence and stayed in hotels on and around the Zeedijk, among other places.

On Friday, May 13, 1988, half past three in the morning passers-by found an elderly heroin killed on the sidewalk in front of the Prins Hendrik Hotel at the end of the Zeedijk. It turned out to be Chet Baker, fallen out of the window of his hotel room under the influence of drugs.

The story goes that many people stepped over the dead body of Chet Baker that night. Only after a while the police was called in. This is how incredibly rough this neighborhood in Amsterdam was during that time.

Chet Baker was the Keith Richards of jazz music; a brilliant trumpeter. His most popular tracks are ‘I fall in love too easily’ (played more than 38 million times on Spotify) and ‘It’s always you’ (over 26 million plays).

The text reads: Trumpet player and singer Chet Baker died here on May 13th, 1988. He will live on in his music for anyone willing to listen and feel.

Due to deterioration, diseases, overdoses, addiction and perhaps also due to the death of Chet Baker, heroin acquired a very negative image. The popularity among the young people decreased rapidly and there were hardly any new heroin users in the Netherlands.

Ecstasy in Amsterdam

In the mid 1980’s, a new drug was introduced: Ecstasy or XTC. Originally developed in the 60s as a medicine to lose weight, but 20 years later by followers of the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh widely introduced in Europe as a stimulant.

From 1983 to 1992, the Zorba the Buddha disco – the ‘Bhagwan disco’ – was located on Oudezijds Voorburgwal 216 – a street in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. The disco was operated by followers of Bhagwan. The staff were dressed in red and walked around with dustpans to immediately clean any cigarette butts.

Zorba the Buddha disco had a futuristic snow-white interior and looked like an avant-la-lettre lounge club. They also conducted a joint meditation session a few times a night. According to various sources, there was an unknown substance in circulation around 1985 that made one very happy. It is the earliest known use of the ecstasy drug in Amsterdam’s nightlife.

The revenue of 180.000 Dutch guilders – the currency before the Euro – that was made here monthly in 1984, went directly to the community, where followers could even live for free at some point. It is now a generally accepted fact that the Bhagwan followers were the first to bring ecstasy to Europe. In the late 1980s, the emerging dance scene discovered this new drug and formed an inseparable bond with it. (Source)

Fun fact: Did you know that The Bulldog Hotel is nowadays located in the building where this disco used to be?

XTC Use in The Netherlands

According to the report ‘De achterkant van Amsterdam’, drugs are bought for around 5 million euros during the five-day festival Amsterdam Dance Event.

The number of Dutch adults who have ever used ecstasy is 8.4%. Almost a quarter of 20-24 year olds and almost one in five 25-29 year olds have experience with ecstasy. And 13.1% of all adults have used XTC last month (measured in 2018 by Trimbos: Source).

The Netherlands is one of the largest XTC-producing countries in the world. This is due to the tolerant policy and the low penalties. The average consumer price for one 1 XTC-pill is 5 euro.

Learn more about drugs during our Amsterdam Drugs Tour.

Cocaine Use In the Netherlands

More than a hundred years after the first legal cocaine factory, much has changed in 2019: a distinction has been made between hard and soft drugs in the Netherlands, where hard drugs (like cocaine, XTC and amfetamines) are illegal but soft drugs (like cannabis and magic truffles) are tolerated.

The term soft drugs has since become somewhat outdated due to the high THC-content (16.8%) in Dutch weed. Alcohol remains a big problem, although ‘De Blauwe Knoop’ no longer exists.

The Netherlands does not have a cocaine factory anymore, but in a recent interview, Chief Commissioner Frank Paauw said that Europe is being flooded with cocaine – through the harbors of Rotterdam and Antwerp:

“There is a very large supply of cocaine, making it easier to enter that market. There are also elements of being able to make a career very quickly.”

Frank Paauw

According to the National Drug Monitor, 5.4% of all Dutch adults (= 700.000) have ever used cocaine, 1.6% (250.000) used it last year and 0.6% (80.000) used cocaine last month.

Every year between 7,000 and 8,000 people seek professional help for their cocaine addiction. In the Netherlands, all addiction care (except for tobacco) is fully reimbursed by Dutch health insurers. 1 gram of cocaine cost about 50 to 60 euro in the Netherlands.

ALSO READ:

10x Amsterdam Red Light District Rules

10x Drugs Facts From The Netherlands

10 Best Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

The post Astonishing Facts About Cocaine, Cannabis And Other Drugs in Amsterdam appeared first on Tours in Amsterdam.

Check out these 20 best Amsterdam Red Light District pictures we took.

Window Brothels

A man talks to a sex worker at one of the 288 window brothels in the Red Light District, which is locally known as De Wallen.

Red Light District Narrow Alley

Amsterdam’s narrowest alleyway is called the Trompettersteeg (translated: trumpet alley). It has nine window brothels and is one of the highlights during our Amsterdam Red Light District Audio Tour.

Amsterdam Red Light District Famous Street

A pair of ducks resting besides the main canal of the Red Light District during the autumn season. This street offers most window brothels and most sex shows, like the Sex Palace Peep Show, Casa Rosso, the Moulin Rouge, etc.

Here one can also find the Museum of Prostitution and the Erotic Museum. There are also many Dutch pubs on this street, like Cafe Old Sailor and Cafe De Zeevaart.

Restaurant Mata Hari (which was named after a Dutch spy and prostitute) is a nice place for wining and dining.

Coffeeshop The Bulldog Amsterdam

Coffeeshop The Bulldog is often accredited as being the first coffeeshop in Amsterdam, but it was actually the third.

The very first coffeeshop in Amsterdam was the Mellow Yellow, the second one was coffeeshop Rusland and then in December 1975 coffeeshop The Bulldog opened its doors.

Amsterdam Red Light District Street

Did you know that Amsterdam’s Red Light District is a residential area too? There are approximately 4,300 people who live in this area. (Source)

Right in the middle of ‘De Wallen’ there’s an actual daycare. It’s located right next to window brothels and to the oldest church of Amsterdam (the Old Church).

De Wallen

The Red Light District area is called De Wallen: in Dutch. ‘Wallen’ comes from the canals that cross-sect Amsterdam’s Red Light District; the Oudezijds Voorburgwal and the Oudezijds Achterburgwal.

A ‘burgwal’ means ‘defensive wall’ with a canal in front of it, but now the name is used for the canals itself, which were dug as a defensive perimeter around the medieval city center. (Source)

Amsterdam Weed Capital

Many people see Amsterdam as the weed capital of the world. Do you?

Since buying weed is allowed in the Netherlands, everybody (who’s at least 18 years old) can buy pre-rolled joints. These are perfect for first time- or not regular smokers. The joints are offered with tobacco or with a herbal mix. We’d advice the more experienced smokers to roll their own joints.

Window Shopping In Amsterdam

For the locals it is quite normal that prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, but not for most tourists. Partly because of this, the Red Light District attracts many visitors, with some men also entering the window brothels.

Frequently asked questions are about prices. All Amsterdam Red Light District Prices can be found here.

Amsterdam In The Summer

Summers in Amsterdam are between June and September. This is also the high season where the temperatures are more pleasant and there is relatively less rainfall.

Red Light District During Day Time

During the day you’d almost forget that this is the world famous Red Light District area.

Amsterdam Cannabis Coffeeshops

Only 7% of the Dutch use cannabis.

Did you know that it’s against the law in the Netherlands to cultivate cannabis for commercial purposes? For this reason all Dutch “coffeeshops” have to get their supplies from the illegal market.

Hidden Art

This is a beautiful hidden gem in the area! It’s a hand placed on a female breast. It’s one of the many boobs you can see here 😉

It was placed in the middle of the Red Light District. It was done in the middle of the night back in 1993. Nobody knows where it came from or who the artist behind it is. Luckily, most people really liked it and the artwork has stuck around!

Oudezijds Voorburgwal

One of the canals in the historic center of Amsterdam, the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, offers a lot to see. Old Church (Oudekerksplein) is a must-visit with its centuries-old architecture. The coffeeshops and bars on this street are also popular tourist spots. For those interested in a more unique experience, the sex shops and museums are definitely worth a visit. The terraces of the hotels along the canal are perfect for people watching. During the day many boats, including canal cruises, pass by here. It’s the only canal in the Red Light District that is actually accessible for boats.

Café Old Sailor Bar

Café The Old Sailor is gearing up for another night in the Red Light District. Great place, which has been around for decades! Sometimes it can get a bit crowded though, especially during (international) football matches.

Red Lights

These are located at the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, in the heart of the Red Light District.

Amsterdam Red Light District Pictures

A great overview shot of the main street of the area. Both sides of the canal are filled with window brothels and other erotic entertainment veneus.

Cannabis In the Netherlands

If you’ve never smoked a joint before and want to try it during your visit we have a good tip for you: don’t combine your first smoking experience with alcohol use. Take it easy and order a Dutch Chocomel.

The Condomerie Shop

World’s first shop dedicated solely to the sale of condoms and education about the necessity of practising safe sex. The Condomerie is also one of the highlights during our Amsterdam Audio Stories app. Download it on the homepage of our website.

Amsterdam Red Light District Sex Workers

Approximately 350 sex workers stand behind the window in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

The Oldest Part Of Amsterdam

The Red Light District is located in the oldest part of Amsterdam. This is where it all started around the year 1200. Besides prostitution and drugs there are many scenic locations where you can sit back and enjoy the views that this beautiful Dutch city has to offer.

Visit ‘De Wallen’ and experience how openminded, liberal and friendly Dutch people are.

More Amsterdam Red Light District Pictures

Would you like to see more pictures of Amsterdam? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! We upload amazing pictures with interesting details and fun facts.

The post 20 Amazing Amsterdam Red Light District Pictures appeared first on Tours in Amsterdam.

Don’t take unnecessary risks when you want to use drugs. It would be a shame if you get a bad experience in Amsterdam. Discover this article, learn the best tips and avoid unwanted surprises.

These Amsterdam tips for cannabis use will guarantee that you are well prepared and have the best possible experience!

Amsterdam Drug Laws

In 1976 the Opium law was changed in the Netherlands. For then on out there’s been a distinction in the Dutch drug law between soft and hard drugs. This also started the policy of tolerance when it comes to coffeeshops. Toleration regarding soft drugs means that the sale of soft drugs in coffee shops is a criminal offence but that the Public Prosecution Service does not prosecute coffee shops for this offence.

Neither does the Public Prosecution Service prosecute members of the public for possession of small quantities of soft drugs. These quantities are defined as follows:

• no more than 5 grams of cannabis (marijuana or hash) per person
• no more than 5 cannabis plants per household.

1 | Ask For Some Real Dutch Weed

Do you want to have the real Dutch experience? Ask the coffeeshop employee for some real Dutch weed – after all you are in the Netherlands! Moreover, Dutch weed is known to be relatively strong, ie: THC content of approximately 16 to 17%. Don’t go for the often-imported Moroccan hash if you want a real Dutch experience, because Moroccan hash is of course not a Dutch product 🙂

2 | Try Dutch Chocomel (Chocolate Milk) With Cannabis

One of the best Amsterdam tips for using weed is to buy some chocolate milk to drink whilst your smoking a joint. The Nutricia brand is the best; real Dutch milk with chocolate flavor. Many “frequent stoners” love the combination of Chocolate milk and cannabis. Many coffeeshop offers their unique own twist on chocolate milk.

Otherwise it’s also available in every Amsterdam supermarket, such as the Albert Heijn, Dirk, Jumbo, Spar, Deen, Aldi, etc. Albert Heijn supermarkets offer Chocomel liter packs from 1.45 euro and small 300 ml packs from 1.02 euro. Other delicious Dutch must-try’s can be found over here.

3 | Know The Amsterdam Drug Laws

Cannabis is legal in Amsterdam, well, strictly speaking it’s just tolerated by the Dutch government. This means you can only have a maximum of 5 grams of cannabis on you per person (should be enough, right?). You can purchase all types of weed, hash and different types of cannabis oils.

Smoking in public outside of coffeeshops is tolerated. Take other people on the street into account. Only 7.5% of the Dutch population smokes cannabis once a year (source). Only 4.6% of Dutch people use cannabis once a month (source). So assume that other people on the street are not waiting for your smoke.

Amsterdam Tips: Smoke cannabis somewhere without bothering others.

8 Laws For Coffeeshops in the Netherlands

Did you know that you can legally grow five cannabis plants, for non-commercial use, when you live in the Netherlands?

4 | Amsterdam Tips: Bring Cash!

A lot of coffeeshops in Amsterdam are cash only, so don’t forget to bring some cash. Those that do accept creditcards are in the minority. Be sure to have a chip and PIN card though, these are the standard in the Netherlands and much of Europe. 

5 | Do not Mix Cannabis & Alcohol

Especially those who have little experience with cannabis. Dutch cannabis can be strong. In average, it contains 16% THC. It’s smarter (and better) to start with cannabis without using alcohol at the same time. 

6 | Cannabis Strains Guide

If you want to get active effect from cannabis, you’ll need to ask for the Sativa type strains. If you just want to feel that relaxing effect you can go for Indica types. However, most cannabis strains in coffeeshops in Amsterdam consist of a cross between Indica and Sativa. If you want to try a single type, you must specify this at the counter. The best thing to do is to get a pre-rolled joint in which the percentage of THC does not exceed 15 percent, or to choose a type in which there is a reasonable amount of CBD in addition to THC. A handy way to remember the difference is that indica’s are for staying “in” and sativa’s are for partying and going outdoors. A great way to remember the difference is that INdicas are for staying “IN-doors” and sativa’s are for going out.

7 | Do Not Bother The Locals With Your Cannabis-Use

Only 4.6% of the Dutch uses cannabis occasionally, once per month (source). In other words; it’s not really popular in the Netherlands. The Netherlands has way more alcohol users than cannabis users. Drinking alcohol is also much more (socially) accepted than smoking cannabis.

So, please do not disturb others with your cannabis-use through odour, noise, or otherwise. Just be considerate and respectful towards the locals.

8 | Just Chill

Don’t panic if you experience any mild hallucinatory effects when smoking for the first time. First timers may experience some weird auditory and perception sensations. This is just your brain adjusting to its first trip on cannabis. The high always passes, so just stay at ease and keep in mind that you’ll never have to do it again if it sucks that much. Regular cannabis use normally doesn’t create hallucinations it just heightens your emotional processing and sensory perception. So, just relax, enjoy and have a great experience. 

9 | Know Your Limits 

This is probably the most important point of the Amsterdam tips for cannabis use list. Like with all things in life there will be a lot of trial and error at the start, take all those experiences and learn from then. Especially when it comes to knowing your limits. Find a place that makes you feel at ease and only do it with trusted friends. If you are going to have bad high there should be people there who will help you out without judgment for when you are either too stoned or too frightened. However you can easily avoid those situations simply by taking your time. Don’t feel embarrassed when passing a turn, and by listening to your instincts. You’ll definitely feel it when you’ve have enough. Always keep in mind that nobody has ever died from too much cannabis, but too much has given plenty of people a bad experience. 

10 | Be Extra Careful Of Cyclists in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has currently 873.200 inhabitants, and even more bicycles. The cyclists are everywhere in Amsterdam! In general, they don’t tend to stop or even slow down. The locals have spotted you much sooner than you. Nevertheless, be careful and take your time when crossing.

Most cycling lanes in Europe can be found in the Netherlands. Are you considering to rent a bike in? Read this article that describes how to cycle around in Amsterdam.

When walking out of a coffeeshop stoned (and without checking both ways), there’s a big probability of putting yourself and a cyclist in danger. Look out where you’re going!

Look left, look right, look left, look right, look up, look down, look into the 4th, 5th and 6th dimension, look into the past, look into the future, cross, still get hit by a bike 😀

Amsterdam Drugs Facts

Did you know that Amsterdam has 164 coffeeshops?

Did you that there used to be a legal cocaine factory in Amsterdam?

Did you know know cannabis in Holland is not checked on its quality/content by the Dutch government?

ALSO READ:

10 Worst Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

History Of Drugs In The Netherlands

10 Amsterdam Drugs Facts

The post 10 Free Amsterdam Tips For Cannabis Use: Laws, Etiquette & Coffeeshops appeared first on Tours in Amsterdam.