Amsterdam Coffee Shops?

[Waiakeauka]

Are they going to enforce the law banning tourist from purchasing cannabis in the Coffee Shops in 2013? Also is their any other country that a visitor can purchase and smoke cannabis legally?

 

[Pirax]

I remember reading in the paper that Guatemala(?) or one of those latin countries legalized marijuana for personal use, and other drugs if I remember right.

 

[Jogro]

Are they going to enforce the law banning tourist from purchasing cannabis in the Coffee Shops in 2013?

Remains to be seen, but I'm hearing, that a new gov't is probably on the way, and this will likely be changed.

Also is their any other country that a visitor can purchase and smoke cannabis legally?

Well, if you're looking for a place like Amsterdam where anyone can walk into a bar off the street, buy a few grams off a menu, and smoke them openly with zero fear of legal repercussion, I don't know of any.

The fact is, international narcotics treaties means that most developed countries can't really legalize cannabis. The best they can do is not enforce their laws against possession, or minimize penalties for possession of small amounts.

Even in Holland, the "Mecca" of cannabis, its not truly "legal" but the Dutch have set up a consensus policy not to enforce the law under certain circumstances.

The closest thing to a legal cannabis "bar" outside of Holland right now where you can buy cannabis commercially of a menu is undoubtedly within the USA at the West Coast and CO dispensaries. No, you can't walk in off the street as a total visitor, but its relatively easy to get a medical card (especially in CA), and so long as you are willing to become a State "resident" (which amounts to you being able to document a place of residence and declaring yourself one), pay the costs involved, and subject yourself to scrutiny of the State, you can probably get one literally within a few days of arrival. Then you can take it to your club/dispensary, and buy something from a selection.

There are plenty of other places (including certain jurisdictions within the USA) where possession of small amounts of cannabis is either decriminalized, tolerated, or there is no effective law enforcement preventing open sale and use, though not all of these are exactly tourist friendly destinations, and none of them are going to offer the same sort of "menu" experience as you might get in Holland.

EG Mexico has decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis, though despite that, I still wouldn't want to be caught there with any as a foreigner. Cambodia used to be quite lax about cannabis law enforcement and ten years ago, the stuff was sold openly and widely available, though my understanding is that they've cracked down quite a bit since then, and its not like it used to be. Cannabis is technically illegal in Pakistan, but the stuff grows in the wild in huge fields. Ditto for India. If you go up North in the tribal areas near Afghanistan, or actually go into Afghanistan, you can probably buy all the hash you like openly at bazaars and such and probably even use it publically. . .not sure its worth the trip otherwise, though. Hash is available everywhere in Morocco. . .though its not legal, and again, you probably don't want to be caught with any as a foreigner. Costa Rica has decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis.

Spain has one of the best policies in Europe with respect to cannabis. You can't legally buy it or sell it, but possession and use on private property is legal. So as long as you have the right "friends" and keep it out of public sight, you don't have to worry about legal consequences.