This overview contains 10 interesting drugs facts from the Netherlands that reflect the liberal Dutch drug policy. Alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, magic truffles and other things are part of this sheet with drugs facts, statistics and sources.

1 | Number of Coffeeshops in Amsterdam: 164

People often ask: How many coffeeshops are in Amsterdam?

Amsterdam has currently 164 coffeeshops. In the Netherlands, coffeeshops are businesses where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the Dutch authorities.

In Amsterdam, coffee shops are well-known for selling weed. Customers can purchase weed in the form of hash, weed grinders, and edibles. The coffee shops also typically sell clothing and other items with weed-themed designs. In addition to weed, coffee shops also sell food and drinks. While some coffee shops only sell non-alcoholic beverages, others also sell beer and wine. All of the coffee shops in Amsterdam are required to post signs that indicate that smoking weed is only allowed inside the coffee shop.

The number of coffeeshops in Amsterdam has drastically decreased. In 1993 there were more than 400 coffeeshops in Amsterdam. This decreased from 283 in the year 2000, from 222 coffeeshops in 2011, to 174 at the end of 2015 (a decrease of 39% ). At present there are 164 coffeeshops in Holland’s capital. (Source)

In the Netherlands it is illegal to grow cannabis for (commercial) sale. It’s only allowed to have a maximum of 5 cannabis plants for own use. Because of this Dutch opium law, coffeeshop owners in the Netherlands are forced to buy their cannabis illegally from criminals.

2 | Low Cannabis Use In The Netherlands

With cannabis easily available a lot of people expect that the Dutch are heavy cannabis users. But research from 2016 by Holland’s most preeminent drug addiction treatment authority showed that 1,6% of the Dutch population smoke on a daily basis.

This around 270,000 persons on a population of around 17.2 million. 4,1% indicated that they had used cannabis in the last month. Overall 23,7% of the Dutch have used cannabis at least once in their life. (Source)

3 | The Netherlands Is Biggest XTC Producer In The World

The Netherlands holds the global top spot when it comes to the production of XTC. In 2017, research estimated that a total of 1 billion XTC pills were produced each year in the Netherlands. In total Dutch criminals produced at least € 18.9 billion of ecstasy and amphetamines in 2017 (Holland’s defence budget is around € 11 billion). (Source)

This position can be explained by, among other things, the great location and infrastructure of the Netherlands. The Dutch tolerant attitude towards the use and production of synthetic drugs also plays a major role. There currently is a shortage of detectives, as a result the chances of getting caught are small. And the penalties for drug crimes are relatively low in the Netherlands.

Drug Prices in the Netherlands

The production cost of a single XTC pill is around 0,20 euro cents in the Netherlands. One XTC pill can easily bring in around 25,- euros in Australia. You can get XTC comparatively cheap in Amsterdam. In the Netherlands, the average market price is 4 Euro for a high quality XTC pill. (Source)

4 | There Are 31 Drug Testing Centers In The Netherlands

In the Netherlands there are 31 drug testing centers where people can get their illegal drugs tested. Most of these drug testing centers are located in the major cities in the country. Amsterdam has a few. These legal businesses test the content of illegal drugs (XTC/MDMA, amphetamines, cocaine, LSD etc.) and it’s 100% legal.

These drug tests + advice cost around 2,5 euro per test. These organisations share their knowledge, the content of the drugs, the effects and risks.

Harm Reduction Model

The use of drugs is not without risks. It is therefore good to inform yourself about the effects and health risks of a substance. Fortunately that is possible in the Netherlands. Therefore it is recommended you always gets the drugs tested so that you know what and how much is in it.

This is the Dutch approach on informing people about drugs: harm-reduction. In Amsterdam there are two official drug test labs called GGD and Jellinek. These drug testing centers are mostly visited by locals. For 2,50 euro per drug sample one can get illegal drugs tested legally in Amsterdam. In other Dutch cities – Hilversum, Amersfoort and Utrecht – these drug testing services are even free. (Source)

XTC pills can sometimes be recognised on the spot in the drugs-database of GGD/Jellinek. In that case one immediately gets a test result. Unrecognised XTC pills and all other types of drugs must be sent for a lab analysis.

5 | Free Addiction Treatment Programs In The Netherlands

Addiction care falls under everyone’s health insurance policy in the Netherlands. If one need help getting rid of any addiction, the costs will be fully reimbursed by Dutch health insurers. This also applies to clinic admissions.

A large part of the treatments at Holland’s largest and most known institute for addiction care – Jellinek – are based on cognitive behavioural therapy. One can also follow treatments based on the Minnesota-model. Jellinek offers all types of addiction treatments; alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, gaming, gambling, tobacco, sex, etcetera. All are fully reimbursed by Dutch health insurers.

There are even (Dutch) addiction-clinics in South Africa that are also fully reimbursed by Dutch insurance. A person only needs to pay its deductible amount – usually between 300 and 450 euro. (Source)

6 | Low Heroin Use In The Netherlands

According to a latest estimate in 2012, there are 14.000 problematic opiate users in the Netherlands. In addition to opiates, this group uses almost all also crack cocaine. In 2009, there were an estimated 3.023 problematic opiate users in Amsterdam.

At the start of the 1970’s there were 0 heroin addicts in the Netherlands, in 1980 there were 10,000 heroin addicts in Amsterdam alone and 30,000 in the Netherlands. A true public health crisis!

Most heroin addicts in the Netherlands use a method whereby heroin is burned on aluminum foil and the vapour is inhaled. The heroin users who inject the drugs is 30% in the Netherlands. (Source)

7 | Alcohol Consumption In The Netherlands

Alcohol is also a drug and should therefore be mentioned in this sheet with 10 drugs facts.

In 2017, 79,5% of all Dutch adults had drunk alcohol in the past year. That’s 11 million people. In the general population (15 years and older), the Netherlands is one of the EU member states where the least liters of alcohol per head are consumed. Alcohol consumption is more common among the highly educated than among the lower educated. 88.4% of highly educated Dutch people say they sometimes drink alcohol, compared to 67.3% of those with a low educational level. (Source)

Research done in between 2007 – 2009 showed that the Netherlands had almost 400.000 alcohol abusers and 82.400 alcohol addicts. In 2015 a total of 29.374 people were registered with addiction care in the Netherlands, with alcohol consumption being the primary problem. (Source)

9 | High Cocaine Use In The Netherlands

In 2017, approximately 1.8% of the Dutch population aged 18 and older had used cocaine in the past year. Approximately 250,000 people. This percentage is only higher in the United states, United kingdom and Australia. (Source)

The percentage Dutch that had ever used cocaine rose from 5.2% in 2017 to 5.62% in 2018. The number of young users at festivals and in clubs is increasing. However, the number of problem users is decreasing. Daily cocaine consumption in the Netherlands amounts to around 8-10 kg per day. Amsterdam alone takes up 4 kg of that. (Source)

Dutch Cocaine Factory

From 1870 till 1919 cocaine was legal in the Netherlands. In the 1910’s the Netherlands was actually a global market leader in the production of cocaine. The Dutch Cocaine Factory was located in the South-West of Amsterdam and people could even invest in this cocaine factory via stocks. Even though cocaine became an illegal substance in 1919 due to the Dutch Opium Law, it could still be produced for export and medical purposes. In the early 1920’s the Dutch Cocaine Factory produced 20% of the world’s cocaine. (Source)

Learn more about the Dutch Cocaine Factory and get many interesting drugs facts during our exciting Amsterdam Drugs Tour.

10 | Drug Smuggling In The Netherlands

A lot of drugs is smuggled into and from the Netherlands. In 2019, the amount of seized cocaine in the port of Rotterdam doubled. 38,000 kilos cocaine was intercepted in 2019, compared to 19,000 kilos in 2018. A 100% increase! In the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp combined a record amount of almost 100,000 kilos of cocaine was intercepted. In 2018 the total was 74,000 kilos. Almost all cocaine that enters via Belgium’s harbours is first transported to the Netherlands before being distributed to Europe. (Source)

It’s estimated that only 10% of the drugs that enter the Netherlands are actually consumed here. The vast majority goes to the rest of Europe.

Amsterdam Drugs Tour

Hear more drugs facts during our super interesting audio tour called: Amsterdam Audio Stories. Learn everything you should know about the Red Light District, drugs, history and the liberal Dutch culture.

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The post 10 Jaw-Dropping Drugs Facts From The Netherlands You Didn’t Know appeared first on Tours in Amsterdam.

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.”

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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.

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