Switzerland currently only allows the sale of cannabis for medical purposes, as well as the sale of the substance for non-medical purposes when its THC content is lower than 1%
The canton of Basel-City begins on September 15 the first Swiss pilot test selling cannabis for non-medical purposes, a program in which 370 citizens will participate over a period of more than two years, the cantonal authorities announced today.
Switzerland currently only allows the sale of cannabis for medical purposes, as well as the sale of the substance for non-medical purposes when its THC (the psychoactive substance in cannabis) content is lower than 1%.
The hashish is prohibited whatever the its THC content. Cannabis consumption is nevertheless widespread and its black market is thriving, according to the federal Office of Public Health (OFSP).
The OFSP has decided to approve pilot trials of controlled cannabis for non-medical purposes in order to learn lessons on the consequences of controlled access to cannabis, particularly on consumer health, consumption habits or even on the black market, with a view to future legislation based on scientific evidence.
The first test will be conducted in the canton of Basel-City under the name “WEED CARE”. Other trials are scheduled to take place in the coming months in Zurich and Lausanne.
“Registration for the trial is open from today”the canton of Basel-City said in a statement.
About 370 people they will be able to participate in the program, which will end in March 2025. They must be of legal age, have already used cannabis, and be residents of the canton.
Six products – four products in the form of dried cannabis flowers and two other products based on hashish -, each with a different THC/CBD content, will be sold in nine pharmacies.
Basel authorities say the price will be similar to that of the black market, from 8 to 12 Swiss francs (from 8.2 to 12.4 euros) per gram. Throughout the trial, participants will, among other things, regularly answer questions about their cannabis consumption habits and about their physical and mental health.
In Basel-City the products will be sold in pharmacies, while Lausanne has chosen to sell them in special places.
According to the Federal Office of Public Health, surveys have shown that most Swiss are open to the idea of ​​fundamentally redefining their country’s cannabis policy in the coming years.
On June 22nd, the Swiss government already approved the lifting of the ban on cannabis for medical use, in order to make it easier for patients, who no longer need to request exceptional permission from the authorities to be prescribed by a doctor .
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