Up in smoke: Notorious ‘coffee shop’ closes its doors

Police pressure leads to closure of downtown cafe for cannabis users, but its owner's mission to decriminalise the drug may have only just begun
The Copenhagen Post (Denmark)
Tuesday, January 15, 2013

smokenhagen2Smokenhagen, modelled on a Dutch-style 'coffee shop' that permits cannabis smoking, closed down voluntarily after pressure from the housing association and landlords who were threatened with criminal charges by the police. Nevertheless, support for cannabis decriminalisation is growing in Copenhagen. Mayor Jensen is a vocal advocate and so is a majority on the City Council. A survey from last summer also indicated that a majority of Danes supported a state-controlled cannabis market. (See also: Christiania crackdown yielding weapons and drugs)