Otherwise a labyrinth of rich culture and art, the row of souvenir shops that dot the streets of Amsterdam, don’t sell glow in the dark T shirts that say ‘Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to Amsterdam’ for nothing.
Undoubtedly, tourists the world over, travel to Amsterdam to see the ‘Night Watch’ and swirly ‘Starry Night’ paintings, soak in the bliss of a canal cruise and walk through the rainbow carpeted flower fields. But the famous summer aroma doesn’t only come from the freshly grilled waffles.
Millions also travel to this serene city to lay back in a coffee shop – and light up.
Known for pushing for change on a host of controversial issues, the Dutch, as I learned on an ‘Alternative Amsterdam’ tour, are all for tolerance. You can smoke pot in a coffee shop, have a same sex marriage and buy sex off a cluster of shop windows concentrated around the city’s first church.
However, not many know that recreational drugs are in fact, illegal in the Netherlands – except that an official policy in 1976 decriminalised possession of less than 5 grams of cannabis.
As a result, smoking and selling of pot, is not prosecuted as long as it’s in a coffee shop (not to be mistaken with cafes), sold only to adults, with no advertisement of drugs and not many portions on stock.
It isn’t really the Dutch who are getting high, however.
In 2008, when the Netherlands too, like the rest of the world, imposed smoking restrictions in public places, coffee shop owners complained that they would suffer major losses, because it was the tourists who were lighting up. Hence, after a little Dutch compromise, it was decided that you most definitely cannot smoke in most public places – although you may puff away in a coffee shop.
Hard drugs like cocaine, LSD, heroin and morphine are illegal, as they are the world over.
The Red Light district coffee shops, which occupy an entire row, tend to be more expensive than those in other parts of the city. While they aren't allowed to advertise and you won’t find information outside, they are easy to find and if all else fails, follow your nose.
The Dutch are an extremely friendly lot and more importantly – since these coffee shops are under surveillance (you’re bound to catch a policeman casually riding his bicycle in the vicinity) – the staff at these places are always happy to help.
When you first walk in, ask to see a menu, (usually face down on the counter).
The menu lists available drugs and prices and almost always explains their effects! While prices vary, expect to pay 10 euros upwards for a bud of weed.
Guides on tour and online say: The more expensive, the stronger the weed. Apparently, for your first time, a gram of weed will get you high about 6 times and you should be able to make at least 3 joints.
Start out with a Level 2, even if you’re an experienced smoker, since THC levels in Dutch weed are normally higher than what you are used to. Always smoke on a full stomach, keep yourself hydrated and most importantly, invoke your inner Marley and chill. Don’t rush through a joint and it’s advisable not to smoke the entire thing yourself immediately. Take a drag or two, take in the coffee shop and enjoy it. The effects usually last 2 to 4 hours. I almost always have the munchies and have the inexplicable urge to inhale all food in my sight, but it’s advisable to sip on chilled OJ which keeps you hydrated. If you do feel sick, which is rare, fresh air and a walk by the canal will do you some good.
Best to start off with a Sativa strain-which gives a more uplifting high. It’s light and also won’t make you a lump. The Indica strain on the other hand are a lot stronger and it’s best to leave it for an entire day with no other activities planned.
For those that want to go smoke free, there’s space cakes. Most, often think, these tightly packed, tiny cakes couldn't possibly do much harm in comparison to a big, bad bong. But in my experience, these innocent looking brownies, take the cake.
Besides being absolutely scrumptious, it might take up to two hours for the effects to kick in, from only half a piece. But come what may, do not take the other half. I cannot impress how many times I was warned about the forbidden other half. The effects last 4-6 hours and the after effects up to 12 hours, so trust me! Cakes start from €4 to €5 or so. Space cookies usually cost €3 to €4 each and are a smaller dose.
When it comes to ambience, every coffee shop is different. Personally, the coffee shops in the Red Light district took away from the tranquility of the city. I like my high times in quieter locales and almost always opted for the Uptown Bulldog cafe (the first chain of coffee shops in the city).
If you’ve smoked or eaten just the right amount, taking a stroll in Vondelpark close to this coffee shop is rather relaxing.
Another stoner’s delight is Amnesia. Again, not a tourist hotspot, but the kitschy Thai interiors and wide selection of food and milkshakes really hit the spot after a smoke. The locals also love to frequent Dampkring, which really enhances the smoking experience, given it’s right in front of the famous Amsterdam flower market.
If you want to take it up a notch, step into a Smartshop. Selling ‘smart drugs’ , these shops are so called because these drugs supposedly improve memory and stimulate the mind. In 2008, the Dutch government banned sale of dried magic mushrooms and in 2009, they even cracked down on fresh magic mushrooms. So while the notorious magic mushrooms aren't for sale any longer, it’s powerful substitute step sister Amsterdam truffles Dragon’s Dynamite (whew) should do the job, just fine. Unlike coffee shops, where there’s a fair amount of hand holding through the entire process, truffle purchase and use is pretty straightforward. While orange juice must accompany you, even on this trip, you must consume truffles empty stomach, or 2 hours after a meal. Always read the manual and don’t go over the prescribed amount, this will be easy, considering they taste terrible.
If you haven’t done it before or only a few times, I recommend Level 1. My sister and I guffawed at the manual, because it read we would view things as though ‘they were made of clay’, but two hours later, when we thought our building was going to collapse, no one was laughing.
In a small dose (5-10 grams) the truffles will induce a happy and funny trip. In a higher dose (15 grams) you’re likely to have an "ecstasy" trip and see colours. A 15 gram vacuum pack starts at €16.
Because of the hallucinations, truffles must be done in an open air location. Vondelpark is breathtaking any time of the year (drugs or not) and is also the perfect setting for the experience, especially the onset, which I spent giggling and rolling around in the grass. The effect can kick in anytime between 10 minutes to an hour and lasts 4-6 hours. Don’t attempt to plan anything after you’ve eaten or recovered.
Since almost everything goes in Amsterdam, it’s common to be overwhelmed by the tolerance and the pandora’s box it opens. While a drag or two should definitely be part of your trip (psychedelic or not), Amsterdam is still alluring sans the haze.
(Sanjana Chowhan is a recovering multimedia journalist, currently dabbling in the digital media space. A graduate from Columbia Journalism School, she currently lives, works and inhales coffee in Mumbai.)
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