⚠️ Warning! Some cafes in Amsterdam only accept cash and others only accept card payments. It`s best to have both on hand before placing your order. Be careful, because some bank cards do not work in the Netherlands. Most of the cafes are located in the touristic part of Amsterdam`s Old Town. And the same goes for most attractions. Here`s a list of some recommended Amsterdam attractions to explore if you`re using marijuana. Magic mushrooms sold in smart stores have been illegal since 2008. But many smart stores are basically unaware of this. Those who do not rather sell magic truffles, a close relative with the same effect. As a result, many coffee shop owners trade tens of thousands of dollars in cash for a few pounds of cannabis every day. A coffee can only be on site for 500 grams at any given time, resulting in multiple deliveries in daily business.
Cafes are subject to regular visits and checks by the police and tax authorities to see if they are following the rules correctly. It is always punishable to sell soft drugs. Café owners who do not comply with the regulations can be prosecuted, with the possible consequence that the café will be temporarily or permanently closed. In 2008, the Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten (VNG, the organisation of Dutch municipalities) organised a Wiettop («Weed Summit», a play on words on the flowering tips from which cannabis is made), in which 33 Dutch mayors from large and small municipalities and various political parties participated. The reasons for the summit were drug tourism in the border regions (the mayors of Roosendaal and Bergen op Zoom had just announced their intention to close all cafes), the close link with illegality (including money laundering through cafes) and the differences between the policies of the different municipalities. At that summit, all mayors agreed that «backdoor» regulation was desirable. Rob van Gijzel, Mayor of Eindhoven, has announced his intention to launch a «supervised pilot project» for the licensing of cannabis production. But near the borders, the gateway should also be (better) regulated to prohibit sales to foreigners. It would also significantly reduce the demand for the back door. It was planned to discuss the results of the Wiettop with the national government before the end of 2008. In 2014, this discussion was not yet over. A majority of mayors and users have expressed a desire to allow some form of regulated and legal cultivation to be sold to cafes, as this could reduce the crime/violence rate, solve the backdoor problem, and generate revenue.
However, Liberal Minister Ivo Opstelten has so far blocked such proposals and refused to consider them as a whole. Mayors are still trying to force the minister to at least investigate the situation and have a pilot project carried out. It is the policy of the city of Amsterdam to maintain a small coffee sector. Amsterdam can determine how many cafes are allowed to sell cannabis. At the end of 2012, there were 221 cafes in Amsterdam. Most of them are located in the city center. Under Dutch drug policy, the sale of cannabis products in small quantities is allowed through licensed coffee shops. Most of them also serve drinks and food.
Cafes are not allowed to serve alcohol or other drugs and are at risk of closing if they sell soft drugs to minors, hard drugs or alcohol. The idea of allowing the sale of cannabis was introduced in the 1970s with the express purpose of separating hard and soft drugs. There are various surprising weed laws in different countries. In some countries, the law allows smoking and in others, this is not the case. So if we know the best laws and rules under such conditions, we can choose to do our best as living citizens. Every year, 5 million tourists visit Amsterdam. Many of them also visit cafes. Starting in 2013, a new law was about to allow residents access only to cafes («weed passes»). But the mayor of Amsterdam has decided otherwise and therefore the cafes will also be open to tourists. Otherwise, the authorities fear that it will increase the street trade in soft drugs and increase criminal activity. However, there is a contradiction in Dutch drug law. Cafes are allowed to buy and sell cannabis; However, suppliers are not allowed to plant it and sell it to coffee.
This is also known as the «backdoor policy». These cafes are a hub for the laid-back vibe that grass brings. With comfortable chairs, friendly staff and good melodies, these places are the ones that pass the hours. Amsterdam has about 160 cafes and most of them are located in the Red Light District. From psychedelic to hipsteric, but also from very local places to more touristic places, every café in Amsterdam has its own atmosphere. You can find some notable ranked examples at the bottom of this page. Many residents of Dutch cities are dissatisfied with the scale of drug tourism. For this reason, many cities in the Netherlands require you to have a «weed pass» to enter a café. These are issued only to residents of the Netherlands.
Therefore, identification and proof of residency (extracted from the municipal personal records database) are required to purchase marijuana in these cities. Many cafes in Amsterdam have an indoor space. If you bought weed at the café, you can walk through it and smoke inside or on their terrace. The cheaper UberPOP option is harder to find these days, although it`s still there. However, the government has definitively stated that this version is not legal, has so far cost the organization and its drivers hundreds of thousands of euros, and has twice raided the headquarters of the massive mobile development in the center of the city (although users have not received any fines).