some unwritten rules of coffee shop frequenting:

check the menu
the cannabis menu will be sitting on your table, at the bar, or in a separate cubicle (with a little man in it). Browse it at your leisure and don't be afraid to ask questions about strength. The coffeeshops we've chosen have friendly staff who knows their stuff.

ask to see the merchandise
it's acceptable to ask for a look at what you're buying. Some of the nederwiet (Dutch weed) looks terrifying.

buy something
If you're just looking for somewhere to skin up, it is customary and less rude to at least buy a drink or a cake or something.


top

be careful
Dutch cannabis is waaay stronger than stuff you find elsewhere. The industry has proudly spent decades refining and breeding plants to maximum strength. Go easy and wait until effects kick in before smoking more. No one likes to see a naïve tourist go grey and pass out into their hot chocolate.

don't buy too much
There is probably a very happy man who gets his gear from the bins around Central Station and Schipoll Airport. Bag upon bag of cannabis dumped by weekenders who bought too much. A 1gram bag of grass or hash may be enough for two or three days.

don't buy on the street
only buy stuff from coffeeshops. Hard drugs are illegal in Holland and the "oh I am a dumb tourist" routine just won't cut it with the local gendarmerie.

watch out for the fockinge space cake
If you don't smoke you may think an easy alternative is just to nosh some hash-filled space cakes. Think again, soldier. Eaten cannabis is slower-acting but three times more powerful than smoked. You could end up in a dimension not of your choosing.