17 year olds in coffeeshops

a friend and I are going to europe soon and we are going to be in amsterdam for 6 days, we are 17 years old and we would like to go into the coffeeshops there and smoke and relax but from what i hear the police have been known to go into the shops for ID checks recently and i dont want to get in trouble, or cause any trouble for the coffeeshop owners, anyone have any advice?

 

Have someone buy it for you..?

And then go smoke in a park or something...?

 

I did it at 16 or 17 but that was a few years ago. Just give it a try. The worst they can say is no.

 

I would agree with JohnStosell,

A lot though will depend on how young you look and act - look and act 17 and you will be thrown out.
Use a little bit of common sense - don't make a big deal of it (excuse the pun!).

Just remember to have a little dignity and sense - the coffeshop owner decides who goes and who stays (whatever your age), and if you are asked to leave just go without making a fuss and try your luck elsewhere.

 

You could always try getting fake ID's. If you live in the UK, i think this place, www.wellcoolstuff.com, sells them for a tenner and you can get it by post.

 

Don't waste your money on fake id, if they are gonna id you and realise you are foreign all they will accept will be your passport.

And the fake id's are crap anyway..

Best advice has already been given by marko, go in, don't make a big deal of it, sit and smoke and chill and just generally be a decent person and you'll be fine, or just go in, buy it and head back to wherever you are staying - plus point of that is that when you get ridiculously paranoid you aren't in a public place so you can freak out in private!

 

I went to the 'Rokerij' (the one near Leidseplein) on Monday and they asked me and the guy I was with for ID .. I'm 23 and I don't look 5 years younger (I think), so it's probably safe to say that nearly everyone has to show their ID. So just trying to act chill if you're 17 won't help.. hell.. it isn't even working when you're 23! There are some coffeeshops however that are less strict probably, but in the end they all gotta live up to the same law.

However, no panic.. locals as well as most tourists are happy to buy some weed for ya.. and you can just smoke it in one of the parks or sth.. great way to get to know people as well!

Have fun!

 

Velvet - I have been going to Amsterdam for many, many years (and I am not that old either) - i have NEVER been asked for ID.
IMO, you are quite wrong that nearly everyone has to show ID.

I can only think that you and your friend look younger than your years - I would take that as a compliment.
Coffeshops in the main tourist areas (Leidseplien (sp?) & RLD) are however the most stringent I have encountered ID wise.

 

i need to warn you for this rule.

In the netherlands a coffeeshop who sells weed to people under 18 can be closed when the cops find out. You will probably not get in trouble, you might get a fine though, but think of the coffeeshop owner. I suggest when you succeed buying to smoke it outside on the streets at a terrace where they dont sell weed or in the park. This way the coffeeshop owner is less likely to get into trouble, and you can enjoy your smoke ayway.

 

sometimes the police finds it a good day to look after id's in all coffeeshops. Depends on how much luck you have.

But i think using a fake id is higher punished by law when they find out, than smoking weed too young. If you dont succeed buying, let a friend of the right age buy it.

 

[clue] The worst they can say is your being closed! Or the shops license can be pulled for a period of time. Or the shop can be fined. Especially, If the shop has had any previous violations. And that nice dutch person who has there life savings invested in there coffee shop is out many thousands of euros.Because minors like to test the rules. It amazes me how naive some of you are to dutch laws. With little or no reguard for long standing customs and traditions. And the cavalier attitude many minors maintain towards closing yet another coffee shop down for violating the strict rules they must operate under to maintain there license. Its pathetic. I can't tell you how many times over the last twenty six years I have seen dozens of mostly american young people come into coffee shops and try to buy pot and hash! Sometimes even coming in groups of four or five. And on several occasions even cussing the owner/dealer/employee when there refused service! Believe me the mayors office and the city councils office; would love to close about half the coffee shops in Amsterdam. And when minors enter a coffee shop your making the governments job easer. No wonder many Dutch despise drug tourists. [/clue]

 

Wow.. ehm.. thank you Hm.. I don't really despise drugtourists.. I think the potheads are part of the charme of Amsterdam.. however, there is a distinct difference between the relaxed pot smoking guy or the 'oh, look at me being interesting, I'm gonna buy weed and get soooo stoned!!'-type (somehow they are mostly seem to be english for some reason.. they travel in a large flock of single males.. hmz.. ). But.. you probably get my point. It would be nice if people would understand why there are rules and that they are in their best interest eventually. If you don't like the rules, write the government, but don't harras the poor people who run the place. I don't like being asked for ID although I'm 23. It makes me feel like a kid. However, I won't get mad or irritated, because I know why they are doing it.. simply because they have to.

Hm, funny thing really.. I go to coffeeshops quite often but I don't smoke weed (anymore).. just like the vibe

 

sorry man... gotta be 18. When I went last year I was 18 and my friend was 17. I had to buy almost all the weed and he only was able to go in a few places(he looks older too). Magic mushroom shops didn't check his ID at all.

I am going very soon but I heard that their getting tough about it. 5g weed buy limit per transaction.

We just went coffie shop hopping... in the middle of the summer last year we realized we had to get more so we went back for a 2 hour shopping spree and got 30gs of bud and 6 boxes of shrooms. Almost got caught by the french police first town in france, I was old enough to go to prison... smugiling drugs is NOT FUN!

My Indiana state, American Drivers Lisence worked as an acceptable ID in EVERY shop.

 

Wear a large fake beard and some big ol' dark Rayban Outdoorsmans, and maybe some beige clothing that smells of pee, people will mistake you for an old hippy and probably just quiz you on your thoughts about Tim Leary n stuff.

Happy tokin dudes.

 

I just got back from amsterdam today.


My 16 and 17 year old friends came along... although most of us were 18 or had fakes. It all worked out fine... most of the time my friends who were under 18 could convince them they were all old enough. Just act cool.

There were a few that were a problem:

The greenhouse (just 1 of 8 ppl couldn't get in)
The double reggae (just 1/2 the time)

I brought back 10gs on the trains as well... put it in the bottom of a pringles can and put it in my bag. Police were on the platform searching peoples bags though, just acted like I had absoultly nothing to hide and waltzed right by... eventhough I have dreadlocks.

Most people in my group actually were old enough so that really helps blend the other young'ins in. If you're two goofy american teenagers who think they're going to go to amsterdam and smoke their brains out... might want to reconsider the plan... Amsterdam is fucking expensive, people in shops and tourism know that you're stoned and almost always try to take advantage of you, and unless you've got a healthy bud habbit or are just skilled at being fucked --- the bud will make the entire whurilwind trip that much softer warmer and most importantly hazier, but amsterdam is a raw city... kind of like a dark carniaval with pot and natural hallucinogens.

-PsDX

 

isnt greenhouse no ppl under 21 place?

it reads on the menu so.

yeah ill turn 18 1.06.2006 07.06.2006 flight to amsterdam (for 30 days)
so i am kinda worried about if i can get in to greenhouse

allso i am realy skilled at being fucked though i dont go get super stoned just nice high.

ps: brilliant pringles trick got to try that one.

 

your responding to posts from 2 years ago furball, things might have changed since then ya know......I can't recall the current policy though, been years since I've been 21 let alone 18

 

It's just about being lucky I suppose.
I'm 15, and I'm also able to enter a coffeeshop sometimes. And when I'm not I just let someone else buy the stuff for me! Easy solution
I haven't been to Amsterdam often enough to recommend some good coffeeshops, I live in a different city myself.

 

i don't recommend underage people going into shops......(your lack of patience shouldn't ruin it for others) but if you do common sense says don't have any id on you. This way the worst that could happen would be you get kicked out for not having ID. But they won't be able to prove your underage and the hopefully the shop won't be able to get into trouble either then.

 

Exactly. You have to have an ID with you though, you could get a 30 euro fine if you don't. But again, better than being caught and your parents being informed about it or something like that...