Is marijuana illegal in Amsterdam?

Question

I know it is widely known that people can and do smoke there in coffee shops but I distinctly remember hearing that it is indeed illegal, though tolerated by police because it pumps so much money into their economy via tourism.

Answer 1

I am from the Netherlands and officially it is illegal, but tolerated. This is a constantly returning subject in the Netherland, in politics some are stongly against and some are strongly for legalisation.
For Americains I have heard that it is illigal to smoke in out country, and it goes to the point that if I as a Dutch person sell you some grass, I can get arrested by Americans and get trialed for it in the US. Which is in my opinion completely bizar.
What the future will bring is unpredictable, the prssure from the European Community is getting bigger to ban marijuana, but not every politician wants to bow for that.
It has been tolerated for more then 30 years now, and we have the lowest amount of harddrug users in Europe.

Answer 2

Amsterdam Canada Weed

Answer 3

I agree with "dablaze". Pick him for the best answer. I'm in Maastricht, Netherlands studying right now and those same rules are followed throughout the Netherlands. This city is in the southern tip of the Netherlands and about 2 1/2 hrs from Amsterdam. We still have all of the coffeeshops that Amsterdam has, but Amsterdam has more mushroom shops and the red light district.

Answer 4

RE:
Is marijuana illegal in Amsterdam?
I know it is widely known that people can and do smoke there in coffee shops but I distinctly remember hearing that it is indeed illegal, though tolerated by police because it pumps so much money into their economy via tourism.

Answer 5

Hi, I'm from the Netherlands (unlike alysha, who speaks nonsense all over this site).

The posession of marijuana for private use has been decriminalized for ages now. Not for tax income, but for reasons of good sense. What started as an experiment resulted in decreasing the number of hard drugs junkies.

Coffee shops need a special license, and you don't need to worry about the Dutch police if you carry no more than 5 grams (as that is considered privat use).

What happens when you go home, depends on the laws in your own country.

Answer 6

In Amsterdam is a broad spectrum of attractions for recreational and national sightseeing. They range between interesting old houses, such as the Oude Kerk, to oddities including the Hash

Answer 7

In Holland the use of soft drugs is allowed and even 'sold' at coffee shops. This policy exists to prevent the marginalisation of soft drug users, thereby exposing them to more harmful drugs. However the trafficking of soft drugs outside licensed premises is illegal. From 1 Jan 2005 everybody from the age of 14 is required to show a valid identity document to law enforcement officers on request.

Answer 8

It's not legal, but it *is* decriminalized. So it's technically illegal, but if you have under a certain amount, or are smoking a joint in a designated place, the police can't do anything to you because there are simply no penalties for small-scale use and possession.

It becomes enforceably illegal when it goes beyond personal use in the coffeeshops.

Answer 9

It is illegal for Canadians to smoke up there. If they do smoke it and come back to Canada and they can be charge for smoking it in Canada if Canadians govt. or law enforcers found out. Where ever Canadians go outside Canada, if you break any laws of Canada any where in the world, you can be charged for it when you come back to Canada. I heard the same thing about it being illegal in Dutchland to smoke the stuff for foreigners.

Answer 10

HA...nothing is illegal in Amsterdam mate!