Recent news articles have been reporting some heartbreaking news for drug-tourists: the days of the coffeeshop could soon be coming to an end. The new conservative Dutch Government (also known as "The Man") announced plans to restrict coffeeshops to Dutch citizens, putting a damper on the Netherlands' wildly profitable drug tourism industry. The plan has yet to be approved, and while we're still figuring out what this might mean for next year’s guidebook, tourists here seem, for the moment, unconcerned.
You can't totally blame the Dutch for wanting to keep drug tourists out. Nobody likes "that guy," let alone a city infested with them. I'm starting to feel myself get annoyed at all the reggae music and zoned-out stoned teenagers wandering through the city center. Why can't that "SMOKE HERE" sign go elsewhere? This is a beautiful old-looking square! Rembrandt probably used this public urinal! Get the drugs away!
For those who want to come experience the
summer of love before the big hammer comes down, a word of warning: the culture
surrounding marijuana here is just, well, a little different. American
stoner culture has its own elaborate, informal customs and superstitions that
feel irrelevant here where weed is a legitimate business. Americans love
their toys, and stoners are no exception: bongs, bowls, grinders, vaporizers of
all shapes and sizes. While you can find these at many coffeeshops and
smartshops, the truly European way is much simpler. No puffing out of
ridiculous psychedelic-patterned elephant-shaped glassware—just a
simple joint, often rolled with tobacco (a "spliff" for the American
kids). There's something almost earnest about American smokers: think of
that kid down the hall in your dorm, putting a towel under the door, running
off to meet his connection. It's all a little silly. Here, the green
gets a little more grown-up. I strolled
through Vondelpark, a gorgeous stretch of green by the museum district, and it
was easy to spot the foreigners, nervously looking around while they reached
for their pot in little plastic baggies. Most Amsterdammers just aren't that interested. According to a 2008 survey, Americans were twice more likely to have tried pot than their Dutch cousins.
Of course, this researcher has never and will never use any substance not considered safe and legal by the US government—and neither should you. Honestly, coffeeshops or no coffeeshops, don't even think about cancelling that Amsterdam vacation you had planned for next spring break. There's so much to do here. The chocolate is tasty and the van Gogh museum is amazing even when you're not high. I promise.