Do you like to smoke weed? If you do, you probably know a thing or two about this famous herb. You probably know that it is among the most highly politicized plants on the planet. Only some states will allow you to smoke as much pot as you want, while some might put you in jail for doing so. Fortunately, the most weed friendly cities in the world are completely different – they are the perfect destinations for stoners.
If you’re someone who loves pot as much as traveling, take a look at the following list of ten such cities and find out where is marijuana legal in the world.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The very first pot-friendly coffee shop opened in Amsterdam in 1972 – its name was Mellow Yellow and it allowed cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy the herb in a comfortable environment. After all, the Netherlands is among the world’s few countries that are well-known for lenient drug laws.
Today, there are close to 200 marijuana-friendly coffee shops in this city, making it one of the best destinations for the traveling cannabis enthusiasts. However, we have to mention that the marijuana laws seem to be tightening in the city. But even so, Amsterdam will always be known for being among the first pot-friendly cities on the planet.
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is probably the prettiest city on the Iberian Peninsula – its amazing architecture makes it one of Spain’s major tourist destinations. But did you know that it’s also probably the most weed-friendly cities in that part of Europe?
If this sounds surprising, it’s probably because the whole stoner culture of Barcelona is a bit more underground, although just below the surface. Getting pot here isn’t as easy as walking into the store, but we can safely say that it’s not difficult. There are collectives that allow legal marijuana, as well as one of the continent’s biggest weed gatherings – the Spannibus.
Montevideo, Uruguay
Next up is Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay and a city most well-known hosting the first soccer world cup in 1930. It is also the only South American city on our list – it’s a true paradise for all weed lovers.
In Montevideo, growing and obtaining marijuana is as easy as it gets. One thing you will certainly like about it is that it’s a place full of excitement and culture, and is very different than all other stoner destinations on our list. Furthermore, it has great food, so if you’re a gourmand and a stoner, it should definitely be your next destination.
Kingston, Jamaica
Everybody knows that Jamaica is among the marijuana friendly countries and the birthplace of many well-known reggae artists who promoted marijuana through their music. The most famous one of them is, of course, Bob Marley, who created a whole culture around smoking weed, positive vibrations, and spirituality.
He grew up in Kingston, the country’s capital and probably the best weed-friendly city in the Caribbean. A few years ago, the Jamaican parliament passed the law that allows people to have 2 ounces of personal-use weed on them. The same law also protects the followers of Rastafarianism, who see marijuana as a sacred herb and use it for their religious ceremonies.
Los Angeles, USA
Who hasn’t heard about Los Angeles? The birthplace of film industry, LA is among the famous cities of the world – everybody knows the looks of its wide, palm-filled streets. If you’re a weed enthusiast who likes to travel, you’ll be pleased to know that the phrase “Women, Weed, and Weather” was invented in California – this state has it all and its biggest city is the embodiment of that idea.
As you probably already know, recreational marijuana is completely legal in California, so getting some pot shouldn’t be too hard in the City of Angels.
Vancouver, Canada
The second largest country in the world is home to Vancouver, a coastal seaport city that’s well-known for its high quality of life. Just like the country it is in, Vancouver is frequently overlooked by the weed-loving travelers, even though it is one of the most perfect destinations for economical stoners.
The weed community of this city is among the best in North America – there’s a lot of activism and some really great places for lighting one up. The province of British Columbia is very weed friendly, probably because it’s so close to Washington, where both medical and recreational pot is legal.
Berlin, Germany
The capital and the largest city of Germany is well-known for its amazing nightlife and a plethora of clubs and places worth paying a visit to. It is also known as the “hipster capital of the world”, and we all know that hipsters love marijuana.
For that matter, Berlin is a true paradise for cannabis enthusiasts and has made it onto our list without any problems. Having fun in Berlin is easier than anywhere else in Europe, especially when we consider that drinking beer on the street is completely legal. Combine this with a joint and you’ll have a blast!
Portland, USA
The largest city in Oregon is also among the best places to smoke weed in the northwestern United States. Just like Berlin, this city is a haven for hipsters and is filled with people who just want to smoke weed, grow organic gardens, and have a lot of fun.
The culture, the lifestyle, and the food of this city are perfect for the stoners, while its well-supplied cannabis dispensaries make it very easy to get some quality pot. In fact, Portland has more marijuana shops than McDonald’s and Starbucks – pretty impressive, wouldn’t you say?
Jerusalem, Israel
Some 50 years ago, a collective of scientists working in Jerusalem decided to do some studies on hashish. Israel’s government allowed them to do so and has even supplied them with a 5-kilo bag of quality hashish.
Ever since then, the country’s government has been assisting scientists with cannabis research, and it was in Jerusalem that the world-class experts have managed to isolate the first cannabinoid (THC). Nowadays, Israel has some of the world’s largest marijuana-growing operations, all of which have been sanctioned by the government and which provide over 20,000 medical patients with high-quality weed.
San Francisco, USA
When it comes to cities that smoke the most weed, San Francisco undoubtedly deserves a mention. It’s a place where the hippie counterculture has started, along with the peace movement and the sexual revolution. It was also one of the first cities where people smoked a lot of weed, so it’s no wonder that San Francisco is now among the world’s most liberal and weed-loving cities.
There’s an entire marijuana-smoking culture in San Francisco, and it’s among the friendliest in the country. San Francisco is also about to host the world’s first Cannabis Drinks Expo – it’s something that couldn’t have happened in a city that’s not friendly to cannabis enthusiasts.
Conclusion
As you can see, the world’s best cities for stoners are also some of the most well-known cities on the planet, filled with interesting sights to see, places to visit, and meals to try. When we combine this with their liberal marijuana-usage laws, we get destinations that should be visited by every weed-loving traveler at least once.
Of course, there are many more weed-friendly cities on the planet – these are just our top 10, as we couldn’t fit any more on the list. Other pot-friendly places worth mentioning are Goa (India), Wellington (New Zealand), Toronto (Canada), Negril (Jamaica), and many others.
No matter which one you choose to visit, you’re bound to have a great time. However, we still advise you to check the marijuana laws for any country you’re about to visit. For example, even if recreational weed is legal, maybe it’s not legal to smoke it on the streets. Better to be safe than sorry!
