I went to Amsterdam recently and thoroughly enjoyed the great art museums as well as the canal trip, Falafel stands, and Indonesian restaurants. When I was a lad I saw the canals and marveled at other delights; but, I'm past checking out Lesbians dressed as femme fatales in Christmas window dressing.
I should also be past tripping my mind away on hallucinogens; gave that up 20 years ago. It had become routine as though having visited the same vacation spot over and over. HOWEVER, in Holland one may legally purchase and use psylocybin mushrooms and cannabis; so how could I resist doing something which is quite illegal at home?
After purchasing my Mexican mushrooms at a colourful little shop called the 'Magic Mushroom Gallery', I went to a bar which was recommended as a supplier of hash and grass as well as having a pleasant ambience. It was the DJ well in the back who dispensed the pre-rolled 'doobies'. I bought the Nepalese, which came in its own smart looking plastic case, for 5 Euro.
Sure I got high; but I never liked grass that much anyway and since it was mixed with tobacco it made me feel yuckie. Next day, after breakfast, I ate the 5 mushrooms and headed for the canal tour. 15 minutes into the tour those old familiar feelings from long ago came back to me. It was a nice little 6 hour trip (not the canal boat which took 45 minutes); but, drugs or any chemical for that matter now turn me off instead of on. To me this was simply an exercise of my rights under a different set of laws. I guess the only rambunctious types who are getting high over in Holland are the tourists, which even further compels me to favour legalization of all drugs. We allow gambling, alcohol, cigarettes, and parecetamol which I consider potentially more harmful than the chemicals known as 'recreational drugs'. No one has ever died from an overdose of marihuana; but has of parecetomol. No one who can easily afford Heroin has to ruin his health; but alcohol addiction can kill - see article.
Legalization of drugs would mean a tremendous freeing up of time for our law enforcement officers as well as prison cells; and take the easy money away from criminals and terrorist organizations.