WorldTalks Amsterdam / Dope City

Amsterdam is known as the ultimate city to get high and the epicenter of the Dutch ’narco-state’. But the more we know about the drug industry - think of the war on drugs and polluted drug waste - the more we might wonder: can we get sky high without a guilt trip?

With popular series like Gomorra and Narcos showing the social downside of our thriving drug system, recreative users are increasingly shameful of the criminal system they sustain. What is the impact of our drug use and are there any alternatives?

In 2018, 4.6 percent of adults smoked a joint in the past month, making cannabis by far the most popular drug. The use of other substances, such as coke and GHB, was 1.9 percent. How could better, innovative laws change the core of the industry? This edition we look into alternative scenarios for a more healthy drug system and the quest for legalization.

With in this programme:

Presentation by Thijs Roes
The world of drugs has no secrets for Thijs Roes, journalist, documentary maker and writer. He has been investigating the developments within the field of drugs for years, focusing on the quest for legalization and new, innovative laws. What is the current state of the drug policy? And would legalizing drugs influence the guilt some people feel about recreational drug use?

Spoken word by Justin Samgar
Founder of Spoken Agency, spoken word on the feeling of a gentle buzz.

Q&A Janneke Nijmeijer
As the founder of Fair Trade Coke, Janneke Nijmeijer looks for constructive, sustainable and humane alternatives for the War on Drugs. Our lifestyles and consumption influence the social conditions elsewhere, should we worry? And is fair trade drugs an actual option or still hopes for the future?

Nadia Shah
In the new NPO documentary series The Cocaine Trail, director Nadia Shah dives into the world of cocaine. The drug enters Europe in record quantities and the use of a line of coke - for a little fun in the weekend or an energy boost after a day of shining in the workplace - seems to be quite normal nowadays. In the series, six millennials undertake a journey to the place where their coke originally comes from, Colombia.

Get inspired
WorldTalks Amsterdam, an urban talkshow by ITA & Pakhuis de Zwijger, brings together drinks and food for thought. Every two weeks, we connect worldwide urban trends and challenges to urban daily life. From greener cities to future love scenarios and digital innovation. Discover what’s next, check out inspiring speakers & meet new folks.

WorldTalks Amsterdam is powered by Rabobank Amsterdam.