Well-informed!
Read more here about use, addiction, vaporizers, and more!
Weed, hash, and the difference
You get weed by drying and crumbling the flower tops (also simply called buds) of the female cannabis plant (Cannabis Sativa Columbia). It's also known as marijuana and has a strong, distinctive smell. Once you know its scent, you'll recognize it immediately. Weed is typically green or grey-green. There are many different types of weed, and their strength and effects vary by strain. You can purchase various types of weed in our shop. Read here what the difference is between Sativa and Indica Weed.
Hash is dark brown to almost black and is the resin of the female plant. The resin is kneaded and then pressed into small pieces. You need to crumble hash in your joint with tobacco or vaporizer differently than weed. This is because you first need to warm up a piece of hash to break it off. Just like with weed, there are different types of hash.
The quality of weed or hash varies enormously. We do our best to sell you the best quality. Please let us know what you think of our weed or hash!
What is the difference between Sativa and Indica?
There are two different types of cannabis:
Indica
When you smoke an Indica strain, the effects are often described as being "stoned." This frequently involves a sleepy or dreamy feeling. You might also notice that your senses are heightened; for example, your taste, touch, and sound sensations could be amplified. When you're stoned, you often feel relaxed and calm, and you generally tend to put less effort into things.
Sativa
When smoking a Sativa strain, the effect is often described as feeling "high." You'll likely feel motivated and experience a positive, cheerful effect. It's generally less likely to make you sleepy and often sparks a creative process for many. When you're high, you usually have more energy and desire to do things. Being high with others often leads to very creative, philosophical conversations.
Although these descriptions are quite general, cannabis and hash, as well as Sativa and Indica strains, have many different effects on everyone. Some experience being "stoned" as a very pleasant state, while others prefer a "high." The effects described above are mainly positive, but for some people, the effects are different and even experienced as unpleasant; this varies from person to person.
The quality of weed or hash varies enormously in the market. We do everything we can to sell you the best quality. If you have any feedback about our weed or hash, please let us know.
Vaporizers
We, along with many scientists, believe that smoking tobacco is an unhealthy activity. This applies not only to yourself but also to passive smokers. We understand that this seems contradictory to selling weed and hash, which are typically consumed with tobacco. But it doesn't have to be that way!
We are strong advocates for using a vaporizer. A vaporizer offers an alternative method where tobacco and cannabis are not burned, but rather vaporized. Research from the University of California has shown that vaporizer users inhale virtually no harmful combustion products.
A vaporizer is a small 'oven' that heats plant material, such as cannabis or hash, to about 220 degrees Celsius. This process vaporizes the various components of the cannabis, such as THC, as well as other active compounds in the weed.
There's a wide variety of vaporizers available for purchase. Make sure you get well-informed about which vaporizer you want to buy, as there's a big difference in quality, ranging from very expensive to more affordable. In our shop, we have a variety of vaporizers available, and our staff will be happy to inform you about them.
A safe haven in the shop
Inside the shop
In the Columbus Cannabis Store, we aim to create a safe, social, and pleasant environment where both cannabis users and non-cannabis users can come together for enjoyment in a social setting. Harderwijk is a relatively small community where cannabis users know each other, and it shouldn't be a problem to go smoke a joint at Columbus. The shop is a 'home base' for many, much like a local pub.
Safe Nightlife Quality Mark
Stichting Columbus Cannabisstore participates in the 'Keurmerk Veilig Uitgaan' (KVU) – Safe Nightlife Quality Mark. This is a collaboration between hospitality venues, the police, and the municipality to promote a safe nightlife experience.
Budget for the region
We allocate a budget to collaborate with schools and other social, cultural, and community institutions for education and information programs.
Awareness Programs
We're currently developing educational programs that can be used in schools and other socio-community institutions. These programs help to raise awareness about cannabis, its effects, risks, addiction, and also the social factors for users.
Awareness
We've agreed, for instance with the Municipality of Harderwijk, that we will provide both users and non-users with information about the soft drug marijuana and the consequences of excessive use. To support this, we allocate a budget to collaborate with addiction care institutes such as Een Toekomst and Tactus.
When am I using too much?
There are no clear guidelines as to what truly constitutes "too much." For example, smoking three joints every day might be too much for you, as it carries the risk of becoming dependent on cannabis. However, weed and hash have different effects, and even different strains can affect you differently. How each person handles it also varies greatly, and use can be more or less problematic at different life stages. Above all, listen carefully to your own body and mind, and you can always come to us if you want more information about the effects or if you have questions about how it affects you!
Types of Use: From Experimental to Dependence... Read more!
To provide some guidance, five forms of cannabis use are often distinguished:
- Experimental use. You smoke a joint occasionally, and when you do, you smoke a minimal amount. Experimental use is easy to manage. Especially if there's enough time between uses, you don't have to worry about quickly developing an addiction.
- Social use. You smoke weed occasionally, primarily with others for enjoyment. This can sometimes go wrong when combined with alcohol and might lead to more frequent use, but there aren't significant risks yet.
- Problematic use. Cannabis starts playing an increasingly larger role in your life. For example, you use it to feel better or to get rid of restlessness. You smoke multiple times a week, or even daily. This is the point where you should pay close attention and consider reducing your use or using it differently.
- Abuse. When abuse occurs, use becomes problematic. It might lead to you neglecting your work or even getting into trouble due to cannabis. This doesn't necessarily mean dependence yet, but it is an undesirable form of cannabis use.
- Dependence. If you are dependent on cannabis, almost your entire life is controlled by its use. You'll notice negative consequences physically, psychologically, and socially. You might experience memory problems, poorer physical condition, fatigue, depression, arguments with your partner, or loneliness. Do you recognize this in yourself?
You can always come to us for help with quitting or if you want to talk to someone about your dependence.
Help, I want to quit. What should I do?
If you notice that your use is becoming a problem, or you simply want help with quitting cannabis, please don't hesitate to speak to one of our staff members. They will have a confidential conversation with you and, where possible, help you or put you in touch with someone who can. For example, we work closely with Een Toekomst or Tactus Harderwijk.
Community Function
We are happy to contribute positively to the public discussion about coffeeshop policy, and we want to show that it's possible to create a safe and social environment for cannabis and hash users.
We have a board with a wealth of experience in hospitality and municipal governance. These are individuals who understand what it's like to smoke a joint, but are also aware of the consequences of smoking cannabis and tobacco. With this experience and knowledge, we can engage in discussions with important stakeholders, municipalities, and other institutions to openly address the use of marijuana and to provide accurate information and education.