The next page is solely intended for informational purposes. It is in no way intended to encourage the usage of cannabis, marijuana or any other narcotic substance.
Amsterdam is, due to its liberal soft drugs policies, known worldwide as the capital of the cannabis culture. The city is notorious and famous for the outright sale, and the free use, of cannabis products. While some experience the coffee shops as an annoying side effect of the Dutch drug policies, others will praise it as an open and tolerant characteristic of the city.
Research by the municipality of Amsterdam shows that about 23% of the tourists who come to Amsterdam will visit a coffee shop during their stay.
Take an in-depth look into the world of cannabis in Amsterdam. Learn about its legalization and history, and discover the coffee shops that sell the highest quality, cheapest ganja, with cultural and historical discoveries:
Coffee shops are alcohol free places where soft drugs (marijuana, hashish and cannabis) is allowed to be sold and consumed. There are over 160 coffee shops in Amsterdam. Most of them are located in the center of the city.
Most coffee shops have a menu. This is often like a book on the bar from which customers can choose from a variety of weed, hash, marijuana or cannabis. Here you'll find an overview of the assortment, such as prepared joints, 'space cakes', pure weed and various water pipes. Furthermore, the taste of the product is indicated and how strong it is.
The following rules apply to coffee shops in Amsterdam:
It is only allowed to buy soft drugs in coffee shops. It is illegal to buy drugs on the street.
You may smoke your purchased soft drugs both inside and outside the coffee shop. However, inside the coffee shop is the most common - and acceptable place - to smoke cannabis.
Coffee shops should not be confused with the regular catering industry. In hotels, cafes, bars and restaurants it's prohibited to use drugs. Although it is very uncommon, the owner of a cafe, bar or restaurant may allow the use of soft drugs in his/her establishment.
It is very important to keep in mind that the weed, hashish, marijuana and cannabis in the coffee shops of Amsterdam may be much stronger than most visitors to the city are used to. Therefore it's better not to choose the strongest one the menu right away. After all, what is normal for an everyday user, may be too much for a beginner. This could really ruin an evening.
For the same reason, it is better not to consume already prepared joints and 'space cakes' if you are not sure whether you can handle it. The amount of cannabis that these products contain varies, and sometimes this can be quite a lot. If you are unsure, please ask the staff. They will often have no problems to give you advice about this.
Coffee shops may not sell hard drugs. Coffee shops who get involved in hard drugs (permit the use of hard drugs), will irreversibly lose their license. That's the reason why hard drugs cannot to be found in the coffee shops of Amsterdam.
Sometimes hard drugs is sold on the street. All hard drugs and the sale of soft drugs on the street is strictly prohibited and punishable by law. Moreover, it can be very dangerous because these drugs are often of poor quality.
In our forum you will find a list of answers to the frequently asked questions about coffee shops in Amsterdam.
Page last updated: Tuesday 13 September 2022
