The drug has long been available legally in pharmacies in Uruguay and in fancy dispensaries in California. Thailand is considered the newest pot paradise – and Amsterdam has new rules.
While Germany is still discussing the planned cannabis legalization, other countries are already much further along. In some, legal shops are booming with a wide range of products – from ready-made joints to gummy bears. Elsewhere, the police are fighting against massive cultivation and famous drug routes. The rules for growing and selling cannabis – the Latin name for hemp – vary greatly. A foray into ganja shops and weed hotspots worldwide.
Thailand and Uruguay
Thailand has been considered the new cannabis mecca since last year. While there were previously threats of draconian punishments, chic cannabis shops are now springing up like mushrooms. The government’s aim was to stimulate the pandemic-weakened economy through licensed cultivation. At the beginning, a million hemp plants were given away to private households. The ganja is sold over the polished counters under such promising names as “Painkiller” or “Guava Gouda”. But there are rules: the minimum age for consumption is 20, import and export are prohibited. Smoking in public is also not permitted – some shop owners have set up private smoking areas. There is a cannabis guide for tourists so that weed lovers can find their way in the haze of regulations.
Officially, ganja has so far only been approved for medical and industrial use – but since it has been removed from the list of illegal drugs, recreational use is no longer prohibited. At least for now. Legalization has not yet been enshrined in parliament by law – and there are opponents. However, political observers believe it is unlikely that there will be another complete ban.
The pioneer of a new approach to the drug was Uruguay, which was the first country in the world to legalize the consumption, sale and cultivation of cannabis in 2013. Sweet clouds of marijuana waft through the narrow streets of Montevideo’s old town in the early evening. On the Rambla promenade and in the parks, young people are rolling joints. Consumers are allowed to purchase up to ten grams of marijuana per week from the pharmacy. It’s “simply safer and more trustworthy” there, says Sol Scavino (31).
Requirement: Consumers must register before purchasing. They are also allowed to cultivate up to six plants at home with a maximum annual harvest of 480 grams. Cannabis clubs with between 15 and 45 members can own up to 99 plants.
Netherlands and USA
Much earlier, in the 1970s, the Netherlands was one of the first countries in the world to tolerate the sale and consumption of so-called soft drugs. The country has been considered a stoner’s paradise for decades. But the oft-vaunted tolerance has a catch: coffee shops are allowed to sell cannabis, but cultivation and wholesale sales are prohibited. This means that the shops have to get their goods illegally, through the back door, so to speak. “The Netherlands was the cradle for soft drug tolerance worldwide,” says coffee shop owner Paul Wilhelm. “Actually, we should have been on the world cultural heritage list. Instead, we are being overtaken left and right.” After all, an attempt to legally grow cannabis will start next year.
There are also downsides: Amsterdam in particular suffers from a lot of drinking and weed-smoking party tourists. A few British tourists are standing in front of “De Dampkring” in the center and enjoying a joint. “It’s so relaxed here,” enthuses Gerry (43) from Manchester. The city has long since pulled the emergency brake: smoking weed has been banned on the streets in the old center since the end of May. The customers in front of the “Dampkring” don’t want to believe that. “This is a joke, right?” But large signs warn of fines of 100 euros.
The “green gold” business is also flourishing in parts of the USA; there is real cannabis tourism – especially in California. The city of Oakland, for example, lists the best sales locations and other highlights on the “Cannabis Trail” website. Root’d In The 510 is Oakland’s largest cannabis shop with over 1,400 products elegantly displayed in glass cases like expensive jewelry in a jewelry store. “Out of the shadows and into the light,” says shop owner Rickey McCullough with a broad grin.
In 2018, right at the start of the drug’s legalization as a recreational drug in the state, the 37-year-old received the coveted sales license for a so-called “dispensary”. Ten years earlier, he had been briefly imprisoned for illegal marijuana cultivation. Now he legally sells a huge range of THC, including edible gummies, chocolate, cookies, drinks, creams and wellness products, alongside a huge selection of cannabis flowers and pre-rolled joints. Being at least 21 is the only requirement for legal pot shopping. However, consumption on the streets and public places is still prohibited in California.
Canada and Nepal
The Trudeau government in Canada also legalized cannabis in 2018. One of the reasons was to bring weed out of illegality and regulate the market. Surveys recently showed that after a few years of slight increases, consumption is now almost back to the level it was before legalization. Cannabis – whether as a drink, a joint or a gummy bear – is now part of normal life, especially for young people, in many parts of Canada.
The situation in Nepal is more complicated. The country in the Himalayas once attracted countless hippies – not least because of the many cannabis shops. Marijuana smoking is also culturally anchored here, and consumption was long viewed as completely normal. But in the 1970s, the country banned production, sales and consumption – after pressure from the US as part of its then-war on drugs. Anyone who acts against it can even end up in prison.
Nevertheless, many people still have a joint in their hand in public, and the police often turn a blind eye. Sadhus – men who are considered holy and live on alms – regularly smoke on the grounds of Hindu temples. You can also often see cannabis plants in gardens in rural areas. Consumption also plays an important role in the “Shivaratri” festival in honor of the Hindu god Shiva, which hundreds of thousands of believers celebrate every year. There are now efforts to legalize the drug again.
Greece and Denmark
In Europe, Greece is, in a sense, the Eldorado for cannabis fans – when it comes to cultivation. The police repeatedly discover large plantations with thousands of plants, which are then burned. Investigators even found what they were looking for on Mount Olympus and in monastery gardens. Crete is particularly criminal: in the island’s impassable, mountainous terrain there are drug barons and clans that even use armed force to defend their territory.
On the Greek west coast, cinematic chases sometimes take place on the sea when dealers want to bring the drugs from Greece and Albania to Italy in highly motorized speedboats and the police pursue them with helicopters and patrol boats. Cannabis remains banned – the conservative government categorically rejects legalization.
In Denmark, too, the topic of cannabis has been dominating the front pages for several weeks. The reason for this is not legalization, but rather a strong dispute over the country’s notorious drug mile: In the Copenhagen free town of Christiania, the residents have had enough of the dealers who sell hashish and marijuana more or less visibly on the so-called Pusher Street. This business has been increasingly in the hands of rockers and gangs for some time, which has led to acts of violence and fatal shootings.
The residents of Christiania now want to have the notorious street closed – the Danish authorities have to clarify how this will work. If it succeeds, it would be a historic step: Drugs have been part of the hippie housing estate for more than 50 years, and tourists also like to look at Pusher Street. The Christianites now hope to get rid of the criminals – but at the same time also hope for a legalized, state-regulated drug market.
Pros and cons in Germany
A bill introduced by the Federal Cabinet proposes to remove cannabis from the list of banned substances in the German Narcotics Act. Adults aged 18 and over should be allowed to possess 25 grams. A maximum of three plants should be allowed to be grown privately. In cannabis clubs, club members should be allowed to grow the drug together and sell it to each other – a maximum of 50 grams per member per month. The aim is to come into force at the beginning of 2024. The reason: The ban policy has failed because more and more people are smoking weed. Opponents fear a “normalization” of the drug, lowering inhibition thresholds even among young people and point to the dangers of cannabis consumption for the immature brains of adolescents.
Cannabis guide for Thailand Point of sale Root’d In The 510 Information from the government of the Netherlands Legal framework Uruguay