Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory

Smart Shop Grow Shop Head Shop

Mushrooms, Seeds and Pipes

Head shops have been around since the 1960s and are found in other parts of the world as well as the Netherlands. They sell all kinds of smoking paraphernalia (pipes, bongs, papers, rolling machines), books, comics, posters, T-shirts, etc.

Grow shops have evolved alongside the rise of Nederwiet, the weed grown in the Netherlands that is supplanting imported grass and hash. They sell cannabis seeds and all of the equipment to grow them. Some of the shops are related to the major seed banks that breed the improved varieties of marijuana. All will give advice on cultivation.

Smart shops are also found outside of the Netherlands, selling 'herbal' or smart drugs. Dutch smart shops are different because they also sell magic mushrooms.

In recent years there has been an explosion of smart shops in Amsterdam. There has also been some blurring of the distinction between smartshops, growshops and headshops with many shops selling 'shrooms, seeds and pipes. This makes classification into the three types somewhat difficult.

Magic Mushrooms and Cacti

Here in the UK, small psilocybin mushrooms grow wild and the fruits are collected in the autumn. In Dutch smartshops there are a whole range of different psilocybin mushrooms available and other stuff besides. Common varieties include: Psilocybe Cubensis, Psilocybe Tampanensis (Philosophers Stone) and Copelandia Cyanescens plus the San Pedro and Peyote cacti. These mushrooms are not collected from the fields but cultivated in artificial conditions.

All of these plants are powerful hallucinogens similar in effect to LSD. They are usually sold fresh and can be eaten raw, cooked or brewed as tea although heating does reduce their potency. If you are new to psychedelic drugs and have not had a trip (hallucinations, giggling, etc.) before, then please do ask the advice of the shop's staff before experimenting.

It is possible to cultivate your own mushrooms from spores available in the smart shops. This is quite complicated with a great need for sterility that makes the process more akin to brewing than gardening. Also available are much easier growing kits and cacti in pots.

Smart Drugs

Originally, "smart" drugs were so named because they were supposed to stimulate the mind and improve memory. Over time the term has broadened to include just about any fun or beneficial substance that has not yet been prohibited. Many of the products, such as the "herbal" ecstasies, are cocktails of various natural substances. Notable among these substances is ephedra, a natural source of ephedrine. Ephedra is sometimes called Ma-huang and is a stimulant like caffeine and amphetamine (speed). It is illegal in many countries so its prevalence in many recipes may make the products available in Dutch smartshops different to those you find at home.

In the larger shops you'll find a wide array of smart drugs including: stimulants, hallucinogens, herbal xtc, sex enhancers, aphrodisiacs, energy drinks and much more. Although cocaine and ecstasy are very much illegal in the Netherlands, testing kits are widely available. You'll also find recovery kits containing specific vitamins and other substances to help the body repair itself after over indulging.

Whilst hard core party animals are unlikely to accept that there is any substitute for real MDMA, it is worth trying some of these alternative party drugs before a night in Amsterdam's clubs. They have a distinctive stimulant effect and some provide some feeling of empathy too, especially when used with cannabis. Their biggest advantage, however, is that they are legal and clean.

At present, there are two smart shops in the guide section of the Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory and plenty more listed in the street index.

Here are a few selected examples in Amsterdam:

Smart Shops	Grow Shops	Head Shops
Magic Mushroom Gallery	Sensi Seeds	The Old Man
Conscious Dreams	Interpolm	The Headshop