Although marijuana sales are illegal in Vancouver, BC, people are allowed to possess small amounts. Which is a little different than Seattle where people are not only allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, but they can but it from legal recreational marijuana retail stores as well.

But one big glaring difference between Vancouver, BC, and Seattle – Vancouver has ‘safe places’ or coffee shops similar to Amsterdam where people visit and have a toke. Oh, you got to love the irony. Washington State has one of the first recreational marijuana industries in country, and Vancouver ignores the fact that it doesn’t have a fully legal industry, and just goes on it’s merry way like it’s no big deal.

Seattle can use a smoke space, Amsterdam style coffee shops, or marijuana bars for several reasons. For one, residents don’t have many places they can go to legally consume cannabis besides their own home. A marijuana bar would allow connoisseurs a place where they can sit down and enjoy a toke or edible.

Secondly, without a place to go and smoke, many people are just lighting up on the street. Most likely people will continue lighting up on the street even with smoke space’s, but at least it would cut down on the incidences and encourage smoking inside.

Thirdly, it congregates people who are interested in cannabis into a location. Here, individuals with something in common can hang out and have a good time.

Check out the videos of the newly remodeled New Amsterdam Cafe in Vancouver, BC.