switzerland

  • switzerland cannabis pharmacy baselThe Lausanne project for the legal sale of cannabis, known as Cann-L, has received the green light from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the city authorities said. The western city joins Basel (started in 2022) and Zurich (approved in March 2023), whose projects have also been validated by the health office. The scientific project is intended to study the impact of regulated cannabis supply on the consumption and health of consumers, as well as its impact on the illegal market. The “local and organic" cultivation of cannabis plants can now begin. The first harvest will take place this summer, followed by its preparation. The cannabis sales point, which is not yet known, should open in September.

  • rolling-joint2Cultiver, vendre et autoriser la consommation de cannabis au sein d’associations contrôlées par l’Etat sur une période de trois ans, voilà le projet pilote dévoilé à Genève par un comité interpartis. Singularité de l’événement: toutes les forces politiques représentées au parlement ont participé à cette réflexion. Pour ses auteurs, le constat est clair. La politique répressive menée actuellement contre les dealers ne fonctionne pas, coûte cher aux collectivités – 200 millions de francs par année en Suisse, estiment ces derniers – et «pourrit la vie des Genevois». (A voir: Cannabis : vers une libéralisation?)

  • rolling-joint2Cultiver, vendre et autoriser la consommation de cannabis au sein d’associations contrôlées par l’Etat sur une période de trois ans, voilà le projet pilote dévoilé à Genève par un comité interpartis. Singularité de l’événement: toutes les forces politiques représentées au parlement ont participé à cette réflexion. Pour ses auteurs, le constat est clair. La politique répressive menée actuellement contre les dealers ne fonctionne pas, coûte cher aux collectivités – 200 millions de francs par année en Suisse, estiment ces derniers – et «pourrit la vie des Genevois». (A voir: Cannabis : vers une libéralisation?)

  • switzerland pilot projectEl gobierno de la ciudad de Zúrich y el Hospital Universitario de Zúrich comunicaron que la Oficina Federal de Salud Pública aprobó las condiciones para la producción ecológica de dos cepas distintas de cannabis. El proyecto, Zuri Can - Cannabis con Responsabilidad, pretende estudiar el impacto del suministro regulado de cannabis en el consumo y la salud de los consumidores. El proyecto se retrasó el pasado octubre tras las objeciones de la oficina de salud. La venta de productos de cannabis en farmacias y clubes sociales a grupos de control comenzará el próximo mes de agosto. Un máximo de 2 100 participantes podrán tomar parte en el proyecto piloto a gran escala en la mayor ciudad de Suiza.

  • switzerland cannabis3El Parlamento suizo autorizó una modificación legislativa para la realización de estudios piloto de distribución de cannabis entre grupos piloto. El objetivo es reunir más información sobre los efectos del uso recreativo de esa substancia. Sin embargo, el producto no debe ser exclusivamente de origen indígena u orgánico. Por 31 votos a favor y 7 en contra, el Senado acordó enmendar la Ley de Estupefacientes. La Cámara de Diputados ya se había pronunciado en el mismo sentido. Así, se podrán realizar estudios científicos sobre los efectos del uso controlado del cannabis. En particular, las investigaciones determinarán los efectos de las nuevas reglamentaciones sobre el uso recreativo del cannabis y sus consecuencias.

  • switzerland cannabis3Most Swiss accept the idea of legalising cannabis for recreational purposes provided there are rules to protect minors, according to a survey. Nearly two-thirds of people surveyed want the minimum age of consumption to be set at 18, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said. Two-thirds are in favor of conducting pilot tests on the controlled distribution of cannabis for recreational purposes. The survey was conducted by the Sotomo Institute from the end of January to the beginning of April. It consulted 3,166 adults living in Switzerland. About 70% of the respondents find it important to reform the cannabis law in Switzerland, according to the survey. They cite limiting the black market and improving consumer safety as important reasons for legalisation.

  • hhcIt may be the next big thing after the cannabidiol (CBD) wave and its controversies: HHC, also known as “synthetic cannabis”. HHC sellers tout the euphoric sensations and mental and physical relaxation it brings. But health professionals worry it could get people hooked, and say it should be regulated. HHC stands for hexahydrocannabinol, a semi-synthetic molecule. That means it needs to be made in a laboratory, where the THC extracted from the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa) is combined with hydrogen molecules. HHC emerged in late 2021 in the United States and then became popular in Europe in 2022, according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

  • cannabis europaWhat forms of cannabis regulation are under consideration in Europe? What types of cannabis are controlled? Are cosmetic and wellness products containing cannabis legal? These are among the questions answered in a new report out today from the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). The report — Cannabis laws in Europe: questions and answers for policymaking— addresses key issues and frequently-asked questions around cannabis legislation in Europe. The speed, and possible scope of, cannabis policy change and the potential impact of these changes on public health and safety, are among the factors which prompted the EMCDDA to publish the report. Updating a 2017 review, the report describes the state of play of cannabis policies and laws in Europe and current approaches to regulation and control.

  • switzerland cannabis2Possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis is not a punishable offence in Switzerland, regardless of whether you are a minor or an adult, the Federal Court has confirmed. In publishing its precedent decision, the Federal Court in Lausanne cleared up any lingering confusion around differences in treatment between adults and minors – no distinction should be made, judges ruled. The court said that while the protection of minors was a key component of the narcotics law, imposing heftier fines on youths was not the solution. Rather, judges said, prevention, therapy, and larger punishments for dealers was a better strategy.

  • switzerland cannabis3On 15 May 2021, an amendment to the Narcotics Act permitting pilot trials involving the controlled dispensing of cannabis for recreational purposes in Switzerland will come into force. The trials will provide a scientific basis on the advantages and disadvantages of controlled access to cannabis, and to provide a solid scientific basis for any future decision making on cannabis regulation. On 25 September 2020, Parliament passed an amendment to the Federal Act on Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (NarcA). With its new article 8a NarcA the revised act provides a legal basis for conducting scientific pilot trials with cannabis that are limited in terms of both time and place. The amended Act enters into force on 15 May 2021 and will remain in effect for ten years.

  • switzerland flag cannabis2The ‘Weed Care’ experiment in the city of Basel was supposed to launch on September 15. But it has been put on hold because traces of pesticides were found in some of the supposedly organic plants. Basel’s health department said on Friday that the delay could last several weeks or even months as products must now be analysed again by an independent body. Six cannabinoid products – four types of cannabis flowers and two types of hashish – were due to go on sale in nine pharmacies from next week. The Federal Office of Public Health approved the pilot scheme in April as part of a project by the University of Basel, its psychiatric clinics and the cantonal health department.

  • dlr28-deWährend die Reform der Cannabispolitik in Amerika Fahrt aufnimmt, scheint Europa hinterherzuhinken. Genauer gesagt, die europäischen Staaten auf nationaler Regierungsebene, wo die Leugnung der Veränderungen in der politischen Landschaft und die Trägheit bei der Reaktion auf Forderungen nach einem Wandel noch immer vorherrschen. Auf lokaler Ebene hingegen führt die Ernüchterung hinsichtlich der aktuellen Cannabispolitik zur Entstehung neuer Ideen. In verschiedenen europäischen Ländern prüfen lokale und regionale Behörden eine Regulierung, entweder unter dem Druck von Basisbewegungen – vor allem den Cannabis Social Clubs(CSC) – oder wegen der Verstrickung krimineller Gruppen und zur Aufrechterhaltung der öffentlichen Ordnung.

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  • La politique répressive contre le cannabis va-t-elle opérer un tournant? Genève sera-t-il prêt à changer sa pratique? Ce n’est pas exclu. Dans une interview accordée à la Tribune de Genèveet consacrée au deal de rue, le procureur général Olivier Jornot a ouvert une brèche. Il a déclaré: «Dans le domaine des produits de type cannabique, la prévalence est telle que la réflexion sur un allégement de la prohibition a tout son sens.» Une expérience pilote pourrait en effet être lancée ces prochains mois à Genève. Son contenu est pour l’heure gardé secret. On sait toutefois qu’elle s’inspire des propositions faites par un groupe de travail interpartis à Genève, qui a travaillé de 2012 à 2014.

  • cannabis switzerlandEl Instituto Sotomo, por mandato de la Oficina Federal de Salud Pública (OFSP), realizó la encuesta representativa de enero a abril de 2021 en la que participaron 3166 personas mayores de edad. El 67% de las personas que participaron en la encuesta están a favor de que las autoridades suizas realicen pruebas piloto sobre la distribución controlada de cannabis con fines recreativos. El 78% de los participantes en la encuesta respalda la legalización del cannabis en Suiza para fines medicinales y cerca del 70% considera necesario reformar la ley relativa al cannabis en Suiza, bajo los argumentos de limitar el mercado negro y mejorar la protección de los consumidores.

  • switzerland flag cannabisDecades after pioneering prescription heroin and safe injection sites, Switzerland is now experimenting with decriminalising recreational cannabis. It’s being done in a very Swiss way, according to addiction experts: taking things slow and steady to see how the population responds. Currently, cannabis is legal for medical use in the country, but only in extreme cases, such as pain relief for cancer patients. In 2021, around 70 percent of the population supported liberalising cannabis laws, up from 58 percent three years earlier, according to the Swiss health ministry. The federal government has now authorised trials to take place over the coming decade to experiment with decriminalising recreational cannabis, taking small steps like it did for four years before introducing prescribed heroin in the 1990s.

  • spain csc barcelona selling“For some years, there was the possibility to regulate [cannabis in Spain] and keep it in the hands of those who aren’t crime-related,” said Óscar Parés, deputy director of the Barcelona-based ICEERS, speaking of past efforts to regulate cannabis clubs in regions of Spain like Catalonia. “We missed the train somehow.” Catalonia is home to some of the world’s oldest cannabis consumption spaces, with the first club opening in Barcelona in 2001. As of 2023, Catalonian law enforcement estimates there are 450 cannabis clubs in the region. Catalonia’s clubs have become a model for other European countries looking to legalize cannabis consumption without running afoul of EU and international law.

  • switzerland flag cannabis2In the evening after work, before closing time, a quick visit to the dispensary to buy one or two joints legally will soon become routine for around 400 cannabis lovers in Basel. For the first time in Switzerland, a broad-based study is being carried out in the canton of Basel-Stadt in order to investigate cannabis consumption behavior. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) approved the first of several pilot studies with which various cities want to analyze the consequences of a legal sale of cannabis. Cities have been working toward these trials for years. The Basel project will initially last two and a half years, after which a balance sheet will be drawn up.

  • switzerland flag cannabis2Cannabis generates an annual turnover of around CHF1 billion ($1.03 billion) in Switzerland, according to a new study. The figure, published by the University of Geneva, contains production, import and trade in the shadow economy as well as legal economic activity, notably policing, the justice system, social work and healthcare. It is the equivalent of CHF582 million in annual revenue of the Swiss market for recreational cannabis, according to researchers. In addition, the direct and indirect turnover of the other segments of the cannabis system amount to about CHF425 million annually without factoring in the total gross value added, the study said.

  • switzerland flag cannabis2La paralización del programa piloto para la dispensación de cannabis para adultos en la ciudad de Basilea podría tener una salida rápida en la importación de cogollos desde Canadá. Así lo han propuesto desde el Departamento de Salud de la ciudad, en donde la cosecha de cannabis supuestamente orgánico ya estaba lista para su venta a los usuarios registrados en el programa, pero fue paralizado después de que se detectaran pesticidas. Estaba previsto que el pasado 15 de septiembre se iniciaran las ventas de cannabis para uso en Basilea, pero el lanzamiento del proyecto fue paralizado tras hallar restos de pesticidas en el cannabis, que supuestamente había sido producido de forma orgánica.

  • switzerland heimat cigProducing and selling hemp inflorescences (clusters of flowers on a stem) with a low THC content has been legal in Switzerland since 2017. However, this market has not proved to be the gold mine that some expected. Since 2011, hemp and its derivatives with a THC concentration of under 1% have no longer been considered drugs under Swiss law. The boom of so-called light cannabis, however, only came about in 2017, when it became possible to produce and market the unprocessed inflorescences of this plant in Switzerland, provided the THC content was below the 1% threshold. Many people saw an opportunity, a new Eldorado, and the number of registered producers jumped from five in early 2017 to 630 in 2018.