As of April 1, 2007, Dutch coffeeshops can no longer sell alcohol.  This covers all coffeeshops that sell cannabis products.  Awhile ago Dutch coffeeshop owners who had licenses to sell both alcohol and marijuana were offered a choice: they could choose to keep one of those licenses.  So most dropped the alcohol, although a few decided to stay open as a pub.

This means you can no longer purchase cannabis, smoke it and drink a beer in the same location.  Some coffeeshops have already dealt with this by owning a nearby pub where no cannabis is sold, but patrons can buy their ganja nearby and smoke it in the pub.

It’s a bit hard to understand why this change was necessary, as there were so few problems with those coffeeshops that also sold booze, as they tended to be the most popular and most profitable.  Looks like they’ll have far fewer patrons who stick around after a purchase.

We’re still wondering if they’ll ever enforce the EU’s workplace no smoking laws in Amsterdam Coffeeshops.  Apparently the coffeeshops (and Dutch pubs) have been given some kind of exemption for now.

Cannabis Cup Amsterdam, A High Times Event
New for 2005* Escorted VIP Judge Pacakge
$1599 per person, airfare extra
November 18-26, 2005

Judges can now relax and enjoy themselves by having a guide lead a group of judges to the coffee shops, grow seminars and night time parties, instead of running around trying to figure out how to get from coffee shop to coffee shop, higher then they have ever been in their life

“This is not your typical backpacker-hostel-staying-stoner event any more.” Said the founder and creator of Cannabis Cup Tours. “People from all walks of life flock to Amsterdam every Thanksgiving to submerge themselves in all things marijuana, and judge the best of the best. Now they can do it in style!”

Package includes: 7night stay in a beautiful traditional 4 star hotel right in Dam Square a stone through of the Palace. There is a candle lit canal dinner, a private trip out of the city to medieval Harlem, and a guided walking tour of the Red Light District and much much more!

The tour has limited space. To reserve your space now and for more information visit Cannabis Cup Tours website

https://www.Cannabis-Cup-Tours.com
Or call toll free 1-800-865-3958

No new Laws, No Discrmination!
by Nol van Schaik

Dutch coffeeshops can keep on serving foreign cannabis consumers.

The recent news about the possible exclusion of foreigners from the Dutch cannabis coffeeshops raised up quite a stir, worldwide! I have the habit to protest against any anti coffeeshop and cannabis propaganda, and not only because I happen to be the co-owner of three coffeeshops, I have a problem with prohibition.

After doing some digging on and downloading from the Internet, I found out that Minister Donner has no right to exclude foreigners from purchasing marihuana or hash in our widely criticised coffeeshops, he is just trying to stay friends with the Germans by making promises he cannot keep.

Here is what I dug up, and the Dutch coffeeshop regulations. Just keep all coming to the Netherlands to enjoy cannabis in coffeeshops, the boogie man does not exist….

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The End of Amsterdam Coffeeshops?

UPDATE: The enforcement of the non-smoking law in restaurants, cafes and restaurants has been delayed several years, so coffeeshops are still selling marijuana. Locals and visitors can still purchase and consume cannabis products in Dutch coffeeshops as of this time (Sept 2005).

The Dutch government has been pressured over the last decade to stop the sale of cannabis products in their famous coffeeshops by the French, German and especially US governments. This has resulted in many laws being passed, from limiting the amount of cannabis being sold to 5 grams per person per day, to shutting down coffeeshops for various reasons.

Now under the more conservative government of Balkenende, new laws are coming out to further damage the coffeeshop business, and to make it difficult if not impossible for coffeeshops to continue operating as they have been for thirty years.

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There are more than 300 marijuana and hashish selling coffeeshops in Amsterdam. So how do you know where to go and what to order?

The locals have their favorite places to hangout and buy smoke, the ex-patriots theirs. Some places are fun to linger in while you fire up a big fat doobie, others are best just to score da kine shit and leave. So how do you know which is best?

Our Coffeeshop Guide has reviews of 45 of the most popular coffeeshops in Amsterdam with visitor comments. This should give you a good idea of what’s available and what our visitors think about each one. We also have a Coffeeshop List that ranks each coffeeshop on a range of criteria including smoke and ambiance.

In addition we’ve written a series of articles on Coffeeshop Rip-offs to warn you about how the coffeeshop system works and how to avoid getting fucked over when you go to buy weed.

Now I’m going to give you some more advice about purchasing mj and hash from Amsterdam’s coffeeshops.

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The Dutch Experience
The inside story: 30 years of hash and grass coffeeshops
By Nol van Schaik

Reviewed by Skip Stone

BUY THIS BOOK!

With this compelling book, Nol van Schaik, has done what no one else dared; expose the inside workings of the Dutch Coffeeshop system. In doing so, he reveals the truth about the Dutch cannabis trade, how it came to be and why it’s so successful. He also challenges the authorities in every country that oppress their cannabis users to come up with a more humane and tolerant way to deal with these controversial issues.

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A new report by Intraval, a research bureau, counts 805 licensed coffee shops in Holland in 2001. This is a reduction of 1% from 813 in 2000. At least one hundred coffeeshops were closed in the past few years as the government sought to reduce the number, and remove the criminal elements from the business.

The new government while not keen on the coffeeshop business isn’t about to close down the remaining very profitable businesses that employ thousands and generate a lot of tax revenue. In addition, cannabis tourism generates a steady income stream for all the other Horeca businesses like hotels and restaurants.

Few if any new coffeeshop licenses are being granted anymore. When tenants leave, existing licenses stay with the building, making it likely they will continue in business as a coffeeshop, unless the government finds a good reason to revoke the license.

No figure was given for unlicensed coffeeshops, of which there are many. Unlicensed coffeeshops are usually in squats or private homes. These are at constant risk of closure should they be discovered.

So enjoy the freedom to skin-up/light-up in public coffeeshops while you still can.

Meanwhile the Dutch really need to address the issue of the backdoor supply of cannabis, because too many growers are still being busted for providing this most important product to the Horeca trade. This is a completely unfair system and leads to corruption of public officials, some of whom can easily profit from a bust.

I believe the best system is to let people grow their own (as many plants as they like!). A plant is not a crime!

Before the Dutch started their own homegrown cannabis industry, most marijuana and hashish was imported from various third-world sources. Many growers in these very poor countries can’t even afford fertilizer, and unless they have some livestock around to generate some, the cannabis is grown without any enhancements. Therefore, in the early days of coffeeshops, most of the marijuana was grown organically without chemicals.

With the advent of Dutch marijuana horticulture, the game changed. Now it was possible to control not just the genetics of cannabis, but the way it is grown to maximize such important things as yield, pest-resistance, and potency. Unfortunately the short growing season, lack of direct sunshine, cool temperatures and mold convinced the Dutch it would be smarter to grow indoors or in huge greenhouses.

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It seems making a huge markup on marijuana isn’t enough for the poor coffeeshop owners. Go ahead and ask to see a few varieties next time you’re in a coffeeshop. Look for those big buds dripping with white resin. Did you find them? If not, you’re the next victim in the big Coffeeshop rip-off – Shake & Sell!

Most growers and coffeeshop personnel nowadays have discovered the wonders of pollinator and isolator hash, which is the concentrated resin from the cannabis flower. It’s extremely pure and potent, and goes for a very high price, usually double or triple the price of imported hashish. The demand for this has grown as the Dutch preference for these forms of cannabis becomes more widespread.

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Once upon a time, when you purchased cannabis from a coffeeshop, you could be reasonable sure you were getting what you paid for. Whether the pot came from Columbia, Thailand or Africa it was labeled as such and priced according to its cost to the Coffeeshop.

Then the Dutch got into growing their own, and the selection increased dramatically with new varieties like Neville’s Haze, Skunk, Jack Herrer, White Widow, all appearing on the scene. This stuff was fresh and very potent. Each bud was thickly covered in sticky red hairs and/or white tricome crystals, and there was enough difference between the types that they were easily identifiable to regular consumers.

A glance at the typical Coffeeshop menu today reveals an outstanding variety of cannabis products from around the world! Hashish from Morocco, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Lebanon. Marijuana from Columbia, Thailand, Swaziland in addition to at least half a dozen Dutch varieties.

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