{"id":4529,"date":"2017-02-17T04:14:17","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T04:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mapsofthemind.com\/?p=4529"},"modified":"2020-07-25T19:06:55","modified_gmt":"2020-07-25T17:06:55","slug":"ultimate-stoners-destination-amsterdam-vs-colorado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mapsofthemind.com\/2017\/02\/17\/ultimate-stoners-destination-amsterdam-vs-colorado\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Stoner\u2019s Destination: Amsterdam vs. Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"
Stoner? Planning a vacation? Have no fear, guest writer \u2018The Hemperor\u2019 has you covered with\u00a0the info on these two pothead-friendly destinations…<\/p>\n
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As a consummate consumer of cannabis for over 10 years, I\u2019ve had my fair share of experience with purchasing and blazing the sweet sweet herbaaj. You can buy weed all over the world, relatively easily: from Peru to Portugal, I have never struck out. However, obviously, and ridiculously, it is still not legal for the majority of the civilised (pah) world. Fortunately, amidst the mire of parochial control and legislation shine 2 pinnacles of hope: Amsterdam and Colorado: real-world locations\u00a0where one can legally purchase weed and without hassle. Thus, following a recent trip to Colorado, our esteemed editor asked me to compare the buying and schameewking experiences of these 2 beautiful locations in an effort to tackle the question; \u2018Which is the ultimate stoner\u2019s destination?\u2019
\nLet\u2019s take a look\u2026.<\/p>\n
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The term \u2018coffee shop\u2019 is applied loosely in Amsterdam and basically means \u2018somewhere you can go to buy and smoke weed\u2019.\u00a0Coffee shops represent a much more pleasant buying experience than that found in the majority of the world. Most places have a menu with the different strains available and the price per gram – or per pre-rolled joint.<\/p>\n
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Across the city a wide range of herb and concentrates are available, quality and range are dependent on the shop, but, I can assure you, there is some great product out there. You can find some very well-written guides online to coffee shops in Amsterdam, from both a chilling and purchasing perspective, and I thoroughly recommend checking these out before you head out and get too bleary-eyed. I personally find that in some of the busier shops it is difficult to spend as much time as you would like with the menu, as there is always a very stoned and annoying (normally British) tourist waiting to order coffee behind you.<\/p>\n
No coffee shops in Colorado, weed is sold in dispensaries here – basically dedicated weed shops that are licensed sellers of cannabis. Unlike the Dutch coffee shops, one cannot smoke in dispensaries, they are solely for picking up.
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After passing through an antechamber where your ID is checked, you then enter the inner sanctum; a fairly small, windowless, yet exceptionally clean and well presented room with a slightly clinical or at least therapeutic vibe. It\u2019s how I imagine a waiting room at the Church of Scientology, were the walls not festooned with posters advertising the available products. On entering the room you are greeted by a vast array of herb in large glass jars, and many types of concentrates and devices – most of which I\u2019d never seen before. Normally, there are only a few people in the room at any one time so your experience does not feel rushed. It didn\u2019t hurt that the first person to serve me was a 10\/10 smoke-show, so I walked out of my first buying experience with a smile and a huge bag of goodies, including a Girl Scout Cookies-Lemon Haze cross , which may well be the best weed I have ever smoked.<\/p>\n
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As predicted, following legalisation, the USA has taken it upon itself to push marijuana to its extremes and to develop innovative and delicious products – trust the Yanks to go big or go home; I couldn\u2019t be more pleased.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the better of the two experiences for a tourist as smoking is permitted in coffee shops – just remember you can\u2019t mix it with tobacco. Coffee shops can vary quite a bit in terms of decor and seating, from places reminiscent of an old English pub – a basic place with few wooden benches and tables, perhaps a TV hanging up – to more modern places with cushioned sofas and dimly lit areas for chilling more comfortably.<\/p>\n