Why Did The Netherlands Become Known as The Centre of the World for Cannabis?

Liberal Attitudes

Basically, it is the liberal drug policy in The Netherlands which has made it the centre of the world for cannabis culture enthusiasts. Despite the fact that it is still illegal there, many people are under the impression that it is in fact legal, due to the official 'blind eye' the authorities turn to the substances casual use. Tourists from around the world flock to The Netherlands, and particularly Amsterdam to take advantage of the coffee shops and liberal attitudes. This is despite the fact that coffee shops are also technically illegal and fall under the 'blind eye' of the Dutch law men.</br></br> However, in the last year or so, the Dutch have been attempting to change their image. The centre of Amsterdam having turned into hive of stag dos and hen nights for Europe's hedonistic party lovers, causing an undesirable burr on an otherwise picturesque city. Crack downs on city centre coffee shops and on prostitution (despite it being legalised in 2000) in the area have increased and the area is hoping to regain an element of more controlled style of the next few years.</br></br> One thing which has always been illegal in the Netherlands is the cultivation of marijuana. Despite this the Netherlands is one of the key places in the world from which to buy marijuana seeds (particularly feminized seeds) and legal highs. Without cultivation there can be no seeds and without seeds there can be no cultivation so there must still be a level of tolerance in this sector. Herbal highs, despite being mostly legal, are still often made from cannabis by products and it seems are merely on a slow moving political conveyor belt destined to be illegal in the near future.</br></br> So why did the Netherlands become known as the centre of the world for cannabis? Well because it was easy to get it there. Plus it was and still is a very nice place to visit. The government is not doing away with coffee shops and prostitutes entirely. They know that without it Amsterdam would lose a significant portion of its tourists that flock there each year. It seems they will need to find a balance to keep not only their weed loving visitors happy but their resident middle class Dutch citizens happy too. The life is tough for the government at the centre of the cannabis world.

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