Coffeeshops
Whether it’s your thing or not, coffee shops are a part of the diverse culture in Amsterdam, Europe’s pot-smoking capital. Soft drugs are technically not legal, but merely 'tolerated'. At a coffee shop cannabis is permitted to be openly sold to the public and smoked on the premises. Coffee shops, which are controlled and licensed by the government, are allowed to store 500 grams of marijuana, but can only sell five grams to adults over 18 (with a valid ID). In order to deter young people from smoking pot, some coffee shops have recently raised the age limit to 21 with the assumption that few 21 year-olds will hang out with minors. Coffee shops aren’t allowed to advertise so they either have a menu in booklet form with photos, or a chalkboard under the counter listing items.