Copenhagen

Law Enforcement

“Several times I walked right past five or six officers while smoking a blunt. Most of the time they wouldn’t try anything because, I figured, it would cause a sort of riot and lots of flying bricks.”

Where to Buy Marijuana

By the river, one person might sit waiting while a partner looked for customers. A quiet chat and a quiet exit, and you could get decent quality at the going price.

Christiania

Christiania is a community with roots in squatting. From Christianshavn Metro, the route was up the stairs, straight for two streets and left at the second, then about 200 metres. Past the souvenir and paraphernalia stalls, you’d see guys huddled around an oil can with big German shepherds. The transaction felt organized and smooth. There were areas to sit with a beer and a joint.

Copenhagen marijuana prices

Marijuana was €5–15 a gram and hash €4–13. In Christiania, skunk went for 200 kroner for a 2.8-gram bag, or 500 kroner for three. The Monday visit below was a different deal.

Types of Marijuana

White Widow, Ice, several kinds of Skunk, Hindu Kush and a few kinds of Haze. Hash came under names like Maroc and Afghan, plus plenty of local names.

Travel details from the period: Denmark, UTC/GMT+1, calling code +45.

A visit to Christiania in April 2005

“I wasn't sure what to expect. Descriptions online had mentioned an active, open market, while the recent WeBeHigh city report said it was difficult to score there. Given how fluid the situation was, I knew my visit might not represent what came next.

“Getting there was straightforward. Christiania was close to downtown, with buses and taxis available from the central station. I arrived around noon on a Monday and walked past stalls selling street food, souvenirs and paraphernalia. Small groups stood nearby. There were dogs—many BIG dogs—but most were leashed and didn't seem particularly threatening.

“After browsing, I walked toward the groups. Someone soon asked whether I ‘wanted some’ and introduced me to a woman sitting on a bench. She looked to be in her late forties or early fifties. For 100 kroner, at a time when a dollar was about six or seven kroner, I got around three grams of fairly good Danish-grown seedless weed. It compared quite favorably with what I bought in Amsterdam about a week later.

“I wandered around the commune before taking the bus downtown. The place felt a little depressing. I couldn't tell whether that was the day, the time, or the pressure being put on the community by the Danish government. The future seemed uncertain, and a feeling of vibrancy was missing.

“For me, the experience was bittersweet. I hoped Christiania would make it, because it was a special place. The woman and her associate were friendly. Once I'd made the purchase, people generally lost interest, and I didn't feel watched as I walked around.”