Happy holiday in Amsterdam

Every year on the third week of November (15 tion numbers for the date of 2009) in Amsterdam held an international festival of cannabis "The cup of cannabis." The organizer of the festival serves American magazine «High Times» and autumn festival dedicated to the collection of marijuana. Through the efforts of the staff of US magazine in Amsterdam it has been realized that it is absolutely impossible in the "free" America.
During the festival, a showcase of the latest advances in marijuana breeding. The international jury will determine the best product by endless tastings. Prizes will be distributed in five categories: best coffee - shop, best hashish, the best product of cannabis, the best shrub, grown in a greenhouse, and the best variety of marijuana.

Evaluated appearance, odor and taste of the product, and its effect. The winner is awarded a gold chalice passing. Tastings are accompanied by concerts and parties. The number of judges is limited to two thousand, so that the application must be submitted as soon as possible. Experienced judge is able to taste every day up to 10 varieties of "dope", while retaining the ability to think and move. During the festival there are numerous and often paid event on hemp.

In the Netherlands legalized only mild narcotic substances not vyzyvayushie physical dependence - marijuana and some psychedelic plant (eg, psilocybin mushrooms and mescaline peyote cactus). They are usually sold in coffee shops. In any coffee shop is strictly forbidden to use hard drugs and alcohol are also not allowed to persons under 18 years of age.
Mushrooms and peyote are sold in smart-shop'ah - small shops, existing under the slogan Grow Your Own, where you can buy anything beyond that required for growing herbs at home, mushrooms and cacti, as well as various herbal substitutes Extazy, LSD and other original prohibited veschestv.







































And this is the man who all and "muddied" - Steven Hager

- Is it possible to balance control and pleasure? Can we say that the Netherlands is a perfect example of success in this balance? What happens if the US would follow the Netherlands?
- Yes, people under the influence of marijuana can lose his grip on reality, but the same thing happens from drinking. So if alcohol and tobacco are legal, there is no reason for the illegal status of cannabis. Drug prohibition creates more problems than they solve. If we kicked out the drugs on the streets, they become more accessible to young. If we want to protect our children, we must allow access to materials for adults - in the safest forms. In the meantime, the war on drugs giving half a billion dollars a year to criminal cartels and makes the most dangerous drugs available through the street traffic. From an interview with ABC television Steven Hager