River Spliffey
We go inside the secret pot cafes popping up in Dublin
Secret pop-up pot dens similar to the world-famous coffee shops of Amsterdam are sprouting up like weeds in Dublin city centre – and as ALANA FEARON discovered, these friendly and welcoming chill-out zones are growing in pot-ularity, as long as you don’t tell anyone...
UNDERGROUND coffee shops where you’re more likely to munch on hash cakes than hash browns are growing in popularity as the country’s stance on the illegal drug softens.
Dublin’s dope smokers are flocking to cafes similar to the legendary marijuana parlours of Amsterdam and Toronto, where weed can be bought over the counter in bags, baked in cupcakes, or in pre-rolled spliffs.
The Irish Sunday Mirror this week got to see what all the fuss is about, but not before promising to keep the location of the coffee shop secret, so as not to spoil anyone’s fun.
After being blindfolded and whisked away in a taxi for a quick five-minute spin, the unmistakable aroma of weed mixed with coffee meant we had arrived.
I was unmasked and welcomed into an old house before being directed down a corridor to a packed room where the atmosphere could only be described as friendly.
A selection of smoking paraphernalia was strewn along the bar and having been to Amsterdam myself, this set-up may as well have been airlifted and dropped straight in from there.
The only giveaway was the sounds of Irish accents billowing and swirling all around me.
Approaching the bar, a place where the fine fellow behind this operation was stationed, I was met with less of a “What would you like?” sort of attitude, but more along the lines of “How are you keeping?” Friendly, welcoming and Dope smokers are flocking to pot dens amazing hospitality. “So what led you to create this fine establishment? Are you trying to make a political statement or start a movement of some sort?” I questioned bluntly.
“No, not really. That movement is well under way and I think it’s great. It’s only a matter of time really until we follow in the steps of Portugal, Spain, Holland, the US or Canada. This is more to fill the demand of my friends and colleagues who have been talking about something like this for a long time now,” he said.
“Also, it still bewilders me that this hasn’t been legalised fully already. I mean look around you. I worked in bars for a long time and on more than one occasion I was spat at, shouted at, things thrown at me and even more times, I was left cleaning up sick, blood and broken glass after people.
“It was tough at times and I had to put up with a hell of a lot. If a drug was on the market tomorrow that made you aggressive, lose balance, caused fights, gave you a banging head the next day, and research proved it was harmful to your organs, you can be pretty sure it would be made illegal instantly.
“That’s booze for ya. The most anyone will attack in here is a cheese sandwich! No one causes anyone any harm, this is a completely safe space for them and it’s social,” he explained. eople came, people left and some stayed, but they all showed the utmost respect to the owner and each other. Paid what they owed, respected the rules of the house and made their way home.
Plucking up the courage, I questioned: “Do you think you will ever get caught?” to which he replied, “Anything is possible, but we’re moving towards a society that is beginning to accept it and who knows, maybe it will be legal by then!
“It’s simply just a matter of time until the public opinion sways into a positive light. Campaigns, marches, research and activists are at it around the clock and people are beginning to take notice.”
news@irishmirror.ie
PWeed can be bought in bags, baked or pre-rolled
The most anyone will attack in here is a cheese sandwich. No one causes any harm OWNER SECRET POT DEN IN DUBLIN