Marijuana tourism is on the increase
05/18/2016 / By Claire Rankin
Not only are people everywhere recognising the therapeutic benefits of cannabis but they enjoying the recreational benefits too. This has spawned a tourism industry in cannabis with some specifically venturing into a state or country to sample and buy cannabis products. Although not openly advertising cannabis as a tourist attraction, visitors arrive by the bus load in some places to visit dispensaries or sample the local weed.
For example, cannabis tourism is known to be a big draw card for many visitors to Colorado. As much as 48% of summer visitors arrive to avail themselves of the local pot. Although marijuana continues to be illegal under federal law, locally in colorado it is also a violation of the Colorado Ski Safety Act to participate in skiing or snowboarding, or even to board a lift, when impaired by a controlled substance.
Around the world, there are a few destinations that are particularly attractive to cannabis tourists.
Amsterdam, Holland has had a liberal outlook on cannabis for decades. Amsterdam is home to over 200 cannabis cafes and Dutch citizens have been allowed to buy and use marijuana virtually with impunity.
Vancouver draws many tourists to its medical and legal marijuana markets. It is technically illegal to carry cannabis without a medical license in British Columbia but laws are not enforced generally if one is caught with less than a quarter of an ounce. The BC cannabis industry is brings in a huge $6 billion annually, making bud one of the most valuable cash crops in the area.
Prague, is a cannabis-friendly country, with among the most liberal drug laws in Europe. Not only marijuana, but just about every drug is decriminalized.
Spain was one of the first countries in Europe to decriminalize marijuana. Their laws allow citizens to use and grow a personal stash, although they don’t permit public use, buying or selling.
Australia has decriminalized cannabis and has a pot culture in certain areas. Pot enthusiasts from all over the world are attracted to the annual MardiGrass festival in Nimbin, New South Wales.
As people in many countries around the world return to natural, clean products for consumption, both for food and for medicine, we can expect to see an increase in tourism at the world’s marijuana hot spots.
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Tagged Under: cannabis friendly countries, cannabis tourism, marijuana tourism
