Amsterdam loves its coffee shops. But that doesn’t mean that Amsterdam loves coffee. There are no croissants or cappuccinos in residence at the coffee shops in this city. Instead, these businesses employ the title as a euphemism for what they really sell: weed.
Although, it’s almost unfair to say that these businesses just sell weed. Most of them sell much more than that, with an extensive “menu” including: hash, cannabis, kush, and sativa. Some shops also sell “space cakes”, which are baked goods that contain weed. A local favorite, Abraxas, is known for their trippy blueberry muffins and brownies. Coffee shop guests are also given options in regards to size, with the ability to buy anywhere between one and five grams of the substance. It is also possible to buy joints. One location called Purple Haze actually has a buy five get one free joint promotion.
For an American, this was all bizarre and startling. As I watched people buy weed lollipops and infused beverages, I couldn’t help but think about how unacceptable this would be back home. According to the FBI, there were over 600,000 marijuana related arrests in 2012 alone. Only around 200,000 cocaine and heroin related arrests were reported during that same time period. In relaying these statistics, I would like to suggest that perhaps our energy and resources could be redirected.
The Netherlands operates on the idea that it cannot prevent people from doing drugs if they want to. This is why marijuana is allowed to be sold at coffee shops, so that the government can redirect their efforts toward large scale criminals who profit from selling the more dangerous hard drugs. The soft drugs are sold by licensed businesses that are required to adhere to government guidelines, ensuring that the product is regulated and safe.
This difference in legality affects the conversations surrounding weed. In Holland, there is open discussion about weed, the strains and the reactions it can give you. The dialogue about marijuana is just as open as a conversation about alcohol, tearing away at the taboo. This could be a contributing factor to the actual number of people who smoke weed in the country. A 2010 study conducted by UC Berkeley found that more US teens use pot than Dutch teens. Now that I live here, it is not hard to believe that statistic. It seems that because the population is better educated about the effects of marijuana and because it is legal, the interest is lower and the user decisions are more carefully made.
The education also helps create a more honest image of weed. In the United States, there seems to be one static image of a relaxed high, followed by the “munchies” and a generally cool disposition. In the Netherlands, the image is more multifaceted. People are aware of the fact that weed could make them feel good. But they are also aware of the fact that it might make them feel paranoid or tense. This honest image could also account for the lower usage found in Dutch teens.Living in a country where a drug that could send me to jail in the U.S. is legal is certainly a new experience. It’s clear that this is not a clear-cut issue but rather one that should be looked at closely. And possibly from a European Perspective.