Netherlands - Coffeeshop Menu
Coffeeshops are establishments in the Netherlands where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities (in Dutch called gedoogbeleid). Under the drug policy of the Netherlands, the sale of cannabis products in small quantities is allowed by 'licensed' coffee shops. The majority of these "coffeeshops" (in Dutch written as one word) also serve drinks and food. Coffeeshops are not allowed to serve alcohol (although in the past some coffeeshops in central Amsterdam have transgressed this law without reproach)[citation needed] or other drugs, and risk closure if they are found to be selling soft drugs to minors, hard drugs or selling alcohol without a license. The idea of coffeeshops was introduced in the 1970s for the explicit purpose of keeping hard and soft drugs separated. In the Netherlands, 105 of the 443 municipalities have at least one coffeeshop. Many at the borders sell mostly to foreigners (mostly from Belgium, Germany and France), who can also buy marijuana in their own countries, but prefer the legality and higher product quality of Dutch coffeeshops. In 2010 a bill was proposed banning sale to foreigners; however, the local government of Amsterdam opposed the bill, because of the expected increase of illegal street trade. Dutch coffee houses not serving marijuana are called koffiehuis (literally "coffee house"), while a café is the equivalent of a bar.
Smoking joints has been common in cannabis coffee shops. However, since 1 July 2008 there is a tobacco smoking ban in the Netherlands which allows smoking joints containing tobacco in a separate smoking room only. Bongs and pure cannabis joints can still be smoked inside the premises. However, most coffee shops still sell mixed joints/ spliffs, i.e. those with tobacco mixed with marijuana, and have made customers smoke in upstairs or downstairs rooms. In some shops, however, the separation room rule is only as 'separate' as the smoking/non-smoking 'separation' sections in many restaurants and bars around the world.
Netherlands - Coffeeshop Menu
Coffeeshops are establishments in the Netherlands where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities (in Dutch called gedoogbeleid). Under the drug policy of the Netherlands, the sale of cannabis products in small quantities is allowed by 'licensed' coffee shops. The majority of these "coffeeshops" (in Dutch written as one word) also serve drinks and food. Coffeeshops are not allowed to serve alcohol (although in the past some coffeeshops in central Amsterdam have transgressed this law without reproach)[citation needed] or other drugs, and risk closure if they are found to be selling soft drugs to minors, hard drugs or selling alcohol without a license. The idea of coffeeshops was introduced in the 1970s for the explicit purpose of keeping hard and soft drugs separated. In the Netherlands, 105 of the 443 municipalities have at least one coffeeshop. Many at the borders sell mostly to foreigners (mostly from Belgium, Germany and France), who can also buy marijuana in their own countries, but prefer the legality and higher product quality of Dutch coffeeshops. In 2010 a bill was proposed banning sale to foreigners; however, the local government of Amsterdam opposed the bill, because of the expected increase of illegal street trade. Dutch coffee houses not serving marijuana are called koffiehuis (literally "coffee house"), while a café is the equivalent of a bar.
Smoking joints has been common in cannabis coffee shops. However, since 1 July 2008 there is a tobacco smoking ban in the Netherlands which allows smoking joints containing tobacco in a separate smoking room only. Bongs and pure cannabis joints can still be smoked inside the premises. However, most coffee shops still sell mixed joints/ spliffs, i.e. those with tobacco mixed with marijuana, and have made customers smoke in upstairs or downstairs rooms. In some shops, however, the separation room rule is only as 'separate' as the smoking/non-smoking 'separation' sections in many restaurants and bars around the world.