The safest countries to enjoy a cannabis holiday

A few months ago I interviewed a person who was following a cannabis treatment for her illness. She told me that she and her family had passed a few terrible months until they came up with a reliable diagnosis and a medicine that could alleviate the symptoms she was suffering. The cannabis was helping her enormously. The next step was to find a place where she could disconnect, after a tough time. However, the destination needed to fulfill a basic requirement, to be a safe place, where she would not be scared to carry her medicine with her. In this post we investigate some of the most secure countries to have a cannabis holiday.

The Netherlands

We don’t want to sound cliched, but there’s a good reason why the Netherlands have gained the fame of being the best place in Europe to enjoy cannabis tourism. Since 1976 there have been coffeeshops all over the country. In these places, licensed by the government for the sale of  cannabis, people can buy up to 5 grams of cannabis daily.

However, the situation has changed slightly during these last forty years. The regulation that most stands out was in 2012, which obliged the removal of coffee shops near schools, closing many, and prohibiting the sale of marijuana to people who were not resident in the country. In practice, this only happens in some municipalities. Amsterdam and Rotterdam are still the cities most visited by international tourists and their activity is the same as ever. The types of products available range from the classic buds, to various edibles.

The plus: getting to know the cities by bicycle, their canals, the great variety of museums with Flemish paintings, the tulip gardens.

Canada

This will be the first G7 country to totally legalise cannabis, the second in the world after Uruguay. If the plant was already legal for medical use, in June this year we learnt that in October of 2018 recreational use will also become legal, the present government wishing to leave behind the former prohibition model which was a failure.

This news has been a real revolution, especially for entrepreneurs who want to be part of this new industry which promises to be extremely prosperous. It is already estimated that around 400 million Canadian dollars will be raised per year. For now we know that from this date each person will be able to carry up to 30 grams and that 1 gram will cost about 10 Canadian dollars (6,47 euros)

The plus: natural parks, huge waterfalls, glaciers….nature in its purest forms.

Uruguay

If we have talked about Canada, we cannot end without naming the first country in the world that in 2013 legalised cannabis, and its derivatives in both medicinal and recreational form. People that need their treatment can go to the pharmacy and buy it. And there are also places like the Dutch coffee shops and Spanish cannabis clubs, where you can buy and consume cannabis.

They say that it is the safest country to consume cannabis, but it must be borne in mind that these regulation only includes residents. In practice it seems that you can talk openly about this issue, that the Uruguayans are very tolerant of visitors and nothing happens if the amount you carry does not exceed 15 or 20 grams.

The plus: its beaches of fine sand and the charm of Montevideo.

The U.S.

Although federal and state laws may be a world apart, this country is one of the most advanced in cannabis matters, as there are some states where the medicinal and recreational use of the plant is already legal. Cannabis for recreational use is legal in nine states: California, Colorado, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Maine, Nevada and Massachusetts.

If you wish to access the products in the cannabis dispensaries you need a license. In addition, the industry is expanding and all kinds of products have emerged: edibles, beauty products, sexual lubricants… depending on where you are, you can also find cannabis clubs and people that smoke on the street, most of all in the state of Colorado.

The plus: museums, movie sets, skyscrapers, natural landscapes …

Jamaica

The cradle of reggae, of the rastafari religion and the place where Bob Marley was born. The collective image we have of this island is that is the perfect place to enjoy a cannabis holiday. However, it was not until 3 years ago, in 2015, that they decriminalized personal use of the plant.

If you are caught with up to 45 grams in your possession, its is considered a minor offense and you can be punished with a fine of 5€. Obviously, if you carry more you may be suspected of trafficking. Throughout the island you can find cannabis clubs where you can consume it in a relaxed way.

The plus: Its heavenly beaches and musical culture.