Netherlands Travel Guide

You're unlikely to come into contact with the police force . It's normally possible to walk anywhere in the larger cities at any time of day, though you should obviously be wary of pickpockets in busy places, and badly lit or empty streets at night. If you're detained by the police, you don't automatically have the right to a phone call, although they'll probably phone your embassy for you. As for drugs , people over the age of eighteen are legally allowed to buy five grammes of hashish or marijuana (less than one-fifth of one ounce) for personal use. Don't assume that the bar or café you're in permits dope-smoking; if in doubt, ask. Also bear in mind that the liberal attitude exists only in Amsterdam and the larger cities of the Randstad: elsewhere, public dope-smoking is frowned upon. Possession of amounts less than 28 grammes (one ounce) is ignored by police. All other narcotics - except fresh magic mushrooms - are illegal. Check out The Honest Cannabis Info Site ( www.thc.nl ). Regarding health, a pharmacy ( apotheek ) is the place to get a prescription filled; all are open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Outside this time there'll be a note of the nearest open pharmacy on the door. Duty doctors at the Centrale Doktorsdienst (tel 0900/503 2042) offer general advice about medical symptoms; otherwise head for the casualty department of any hospital ( ziekenhuis ).