You’ll be able to find a weed cafe on almost every other block in Amsterdam or any similarly like-minded European city. Still, you’ll be hardpressed to find one anywhere in Canada.
Popularized in Europe and eventually making their way over to America, weed cafes are the non-alcoholic equivalent to a local watering hole – a safe place for stoners and new users of cannabis alike to consume all things weed without any fear of judgement or reprise.
Beloved by many for their relaxing atmosphere, comfy couches and the freedom to smoke, dab and vape inside a lounge, the weed cafe has become a cornerstone of weed culture.
You would think that, in Canada, a country that’s legalized weed for medicinal and recreational consumption, of all places would have as many weed cafes as they do coffee shops, but the opposite is true.
Are you curious about what a weed cafe is, why they’re so popular, and why they aren’t commonplace in Canada? Stay with us, and we’ll break it down.
What is a Weed Cafe?
Originally known as a ‘coffeeshop’ in its native Netherlands, a weed cafe is any business or establishment where the sale and consumption of weed and weed products for personal consumption are legal, or at the very least, tolerated by the local authorities.
Usually offering a menu of food and beverages in addition to cannabis products and paraphernalia, weed cafes are a safe haven for anybody looking to enjoy some food, coffee and weed in the comfort of a social lounge without fear of prosecution.
In addition to selling house-made food and beverages, a weed cafe will also commonly have weed edibles for sale and weed equipment for rent. Space cakes, a type of infused weed pastry, originated from and are still being sold by many coffeeshops in the Netherlands.
Where Did Weed Cafes Come From? How Did They Start?
Surprisingly, the drug policy of the Netherlands makes weed illegal for most parts of the country unless it is specifically purchased and consumed in a weed cafe. While medicinal cannabis is available for purchase at most Dutch pharmacies, any other weed concentrate product, such as distillate and shatter, are considered to be ‘hard drugs’ and illegal.
Interestingly enough, the sale and possession of ‘soft drugs’ such as weed flower and hash are still considered illegal, but the authorities won’t prosecute users unless they possess more than 5 grams of weed or hash at once.
Put in other words, weed is technically illegal but not punishable. Businesses that are selling quote-on-quote ‘soft drugs’ must adhere to nationwide rules to stay in business:
- No advertising
- No ‘hard drug’ sales
- No sales to anyone under the age of 18
- No sales of amounts over five grams
- No public disturbances
Unlike other western countries, the Netherlands practiced a drug policy of pragmatism based on the expediency principle. The Dutch position was to tolerate and permit illegal behaviour and enforce the law only if enforcement led to a positive result. If the quote-on-quote illegal activity had no negative impact on the public, authorities would not seek prosecution.
In 1969, a political committee pushed the recommendation that the intensity of law enforcement should be proportionate to the degree of danger to society. A few years later, in 1972, another committee would distinguish ‘hard’ drugs that have an ‘unacceptable risk’ and ‘soft drugs.’ This distinction would separate weed and its users from more problematic substances such as heroin and cocaine.
With this distinction in place, the Dutch government enacted a policy of tolerance.
Eventually, ‘soft drugs’ became so commonplace that dealers sold them under-the-counter at music venues and cafes. Fearing that shutting down these places would lead weed seekers down a seedier, more dangerous path, the Dutch government officially regulated coffeeshops. It legitimized their existence, and the rest is history.
Are Weed Cafes Legal in Canada?
Although the federal government legalized cannabis in Canada in October 2018, cannabis consumption in public social settings and businesses remains murky. While some provinces, such as Nunavut, allow weed to be sold and consumed in cannabis cafes, most other provinces still forbid the practice.
Despite the illegality of cannabis lounges and cafes, many of them have sprouted up over the years and have managed to stay in business. Across Vancouver, Toronto, and other large cities, weed cafes are thriving. Before Canada officially legalized weed across the country, many of these weed cafes operated in plain sight and were not subject to persecution by the authorities.
In some ways, weed cafes in Canada operate on the same principle as weed cafes in the Netherlands as long as they’re not causing any immediate, visible harm.
Is a Weed Cafe the Best Place to Smoke Weed?
Offering patrons a cozy and inviting social setting to consume their favourite plant, many believe that a weed cafe is one of the best places to smoke weed. With that being said, they might not be the best place for users who are new to cannabis. Can you imagine how bad it’ll be to suffer a green out in a public setting surrounded by strangers and weed smoke? It’s not a good time, that’s for sure.
However, weed cafes have done work to legitimize and destigmatize weed, so we have them to thank for slowly changing public attitudes. Although cannabis lounges are still illegal in many parts of Canada, we can hope that Canada can become as open towards them as Amsterdam is one day.
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