Frankfurt

Law Enforcement

People in Hessen talked about 30 grams as a dividing line between personal use and dealing, yet worried that even a gram or a joint could lead to arrest. Sometimes police just took it and said it would be destroyed, “probably by smoking it.” Parks felt easier than the center, and some people thought being 18 and testing positive was no issue. The newer Marijuana Laws section covers Germany’s later legalization of limited adult possession. These stories are from before that change.

I saw police stop a man who was smoking something in the street. He looked ready to take a swing at them, and they took him away. People reckoned you’d fare better if you stayed calm, even if your stash was gone.

Konstablerwache and the parks

“DO NOT BUY AT KONSTABLERWACHE!” I’m from Frankfurt and the only people I saw buying there were tourists and people desperate for a fix. Dirty hash and barely a high.

I had mixed luck there. One deal was five grams of good Moroccan blonde. Another was four grams of something lousy. Check it before walking away. If it doesn’t smell right, don’t buy it.

People talked to Arab street sellers near the quieter second subway entrance, often after six when crowds thinned. Guards had started showing up. Green uniforms were how people identified police then, and younger officers seemed more eager to stop you. Hash was easier to find at first. A number or a reliable contact meant a better deal, though good connections felt like one in a thousand. Weed could be expensive if you insisted on it on a short visit.

The parks sounded promising if you were new to town. Along the river near the Römer, though, I didn’t see the smokers I’d heard about.

Marijuana Prices

Before the 2006 World Cup, €5–7 a gram. Afterwards, €7–10, or around €12 at Konstablerwache.

Another quote put hash at €5–6 and weed at €7–8 per gram.

Quality: “various like a rainbow”

“Various like a rainbow—that's all I can say. You could get shit that takes your mind into the universe, where you can see the desert, the Great Wall and your mama's house. Or you're just sitting there coughing and asking yourself, ‘Am I high? Am I high?’”

More Information

Bergerstraße is a good little street to wander, with chill people and what I’d call the best hamburgers this side of the pond. The headshops had all sorts of gear.

You might find something within an hour or two. Outside the very center, the occasional glance was about all I expected for smoking, but I still watched for police. Get to know people and you’ll get a fairer price and a little more each time.

One more lead was the American settlement, a two-minute walk from Dornbusch U-Bahn on the U1, U2 or U3 routes toward Ginnheim, Gonzenheim or Hohemark. American kids there had faced the same problem and might be easier to talk to.