Helsinki, Finland

A small fine for the consumption or possession of less than 15g of marijuana or 10g of hashish (the minimum fine is €60).

A well-behaved (and happy) adult can avoid punishment if they don't cause any trouble and the police officer is having a good day. Some officers know they have more important things to do than bother someone with a joint in their mouth. Public smoking is not uncommon downtown on weekends, but it is generally not recommended, except at reggae concerts and similar events.

Another reporter added: “The police are relatively tolerant. By relatively, I mean I know maybe five people who've had trouble (like a fine or something) with the police, and I've been smoking every day for about two years, mostly in public. If the police come and even bother about it, stay calm, hide your weed, and tell them you're a tourist.”

Sometimes it's so lax that I've walked past police officers or smoked next to a police car and only realized it afterwards. A certain amount of common sense is of course advisable, though.

Where to buy marijuana in Helsinki: “If you want to buy weed in Helsinki, I recommend going to Synebrich Park in the summer. You'll probably see hippies smoking joints there. Ask politely, and even if they say no, persist. It's in the nature of Finns to be reserved. If you're looking for more adventure, go to the suburbs of Helsinki and look out for Black or Middle Eastern youths.”

Boldly ask if they can arrange a matchmaking appointment for you or if they know someone who can help. If these young people offer to get you something and demand money upfront, insist they give you their phone while you wait. If they say no, just tell them to forget it and walk away. They'll almost certainly agree, knowing they can sneak a little bit off the phone. Before you get your weed, prepare for a surprise. The amount of rock-hard, soapy hashish they'll hand you is heartbreaking. 

It might look like they're ripping you off, but in reality, they probably won't take more than a quarter of the pot for themselves. With a bit of luck, you might get some decent skunk, but don't expect too much. Two joints, mixed with tobacco, are the most you can hope for. Or a Duffy. The price is usually around €10 per gram of hashish and €15-20 for green. If you fancy a joint with a great view of the city, I recommend Observatory Park (in Finnish, "Thtitornipuisto," and in Swedish, "Observatorieparken," as both languages ​​are spoken in Helsinki). To get there, take tram 3T from in front of the Stockmann department store in central Helsinki and get off at the Olympia Ferry Terminal. Then, go up the steps on the other side of the street and turn left. You'll see a historic 19th-century statue and an observatory from the same period. 

Directly opposite the statue, towards the sea, you'll see a small staircase leading down to a viewpoint. Light your joint and smoke while overlooking the historic city center. If you want to get back to nature, take bus number 20 to the suburb of Lauttasaari. Get off at the Siwa supermarket and head towards the forest behind it. Continue up the hill, and along the way you'll see some historically marked anti-aircraft guns from World War II before reaching the birdwatching tower. Climb to the top and enjoy the views of southwest Helsinki and the eastern side of Espoo.

Helsinki is a beautiful city, on par with Stockholm and Prague, so make the most of your trip. Greetings from a Finnish expat living in Spain, so I know a thing or two about hashish, okay?” Our latest report reads: “Under no circumstances should you buy at the main train station. It’s not just the station, but the dealers you’ll encounter there are mostly Somali and most likely middlemen. It’s not surprising to find hashish there for €25 or more. And of course, it’s soap/dung and mixed.”

Instead, it's recommended to spend the evening in Kallio, the neighborhood with personality. Notable sights (ask for directions, Kallio is small) include the reggae bar Exodus, where you're guaranteed to meet someone who knows something. Haggle, though, and be prepared for potentially unpleasant deals, although I've heard of and even made some wonderful ones. The Bandidos' head shop, Fat Mexican, is a great place to go, specializing in tattoos and blunt wraps for 50 cents.

Other safer spots include large parks like Ruttopuisto/Vanhakirkkopuisto (the same place, but Pestpark and Old Church Park), although the weed circles there can be huge and the chances of finding one, if any, are slim. Koffinpuisto, just down the boulevard from Rutto, is sometimes a much better choice in the summer.
Alppipuisto (closer to Kallio than to the city) was once a pretty trendy place, but thanks to the increasing popularity of neo-hippies it has entered the mainstream and was still under police surveillance at least as recently as the summer of 2007.”