Amsterdam has featured as an essential stop on Contiki trips for as long as man has awaited the clocking over of 4:20. Dutch citizens can purchase the devil’s lettuce with relative ease from 193 different places and the city’s famous ‘coffee stores’ rope in around 1.5 million visitors a year, it’s one of Europe’s most popular destinations.
However, with society’s general acceptance of the drug for both recreational and medical use, and it’s widespread criminalisation across the US, is Amsterdam slowly loosing the edge it had as a must visit location for stoners and privileged young Australian’s on their gap year?
On Thursday, American Green Inc., the first’ publicly traded technology companies in the medical cannabis industry’ purchased the town Nipton, California. The country’s largest marijuana company has promised to turn the town into “the country’s first energy-independent, cannabis-friendly hospitality destination.” The colonising of the small town by the company is pretty reminiscent of the large influx of hippies that initiated the kush obsession of the city in the 70s….
Located on the edge of the Mojave Desert, the company purchased the town for $5 million USD. Yep, an entire town was purchased for the price of an inner-city shack in Sydney.
CEO David Gwyther said in a statement:
“We are excited to lead the charge for a true Green Rush. The cannabis revolution that’s going on here in the U.S. has the power to completely revitalize communities in the same way gold did during the 19th century.”
The plan is to spend $2.5 million USD to renovate Nipton, and will focus on using renewable energy, as well as focus on the creation of cannabis based products.
Let’s face it, Amsterdam has been a staple travel destination for a long time now – do you really want to holiday in a place that your Aunt and Uncle have inappropriate stories about that they share over Christmas dinner? We’ll embrace any city that welcomes it’s guests with a herbal refreshment.
