A l’avenir, les Genevois pourront-ils fumer du cannabis dans des clubs? Quoi qu’il en soit, la feuille de route en vue d’une légalisation du cannabis est sur le bureau du Conseil d’Etat. Ruth Dreifuss, présidente de la Commission consultative en matière d’addictions: «Nous avons remis le plan de travail. Le rapport viendra à la fin de l’année prochaine.» Genève doit adresser une demande d’autorisation exceptionnelle et à titre d’expérience scientifique à l’Office fédéral de la santé publique (OFSP). (Lire aussi: Et si Genève devenait le laboratoire de la légalisation?)

Le Canton de Genève sera-t-il le premier de Suisse à accueillir un projet pilote de régulation du cannabis? Le défi est lancé. Selon nos informations, une demande d’autorisation pour mener une expérience de remise contrôlée d’herbe va prochainement être envoyée à l’Office fédéral de la santé publique (OFSP). Le Conseil d’État genevois a accepté il y a peu un tel programme, qui, s’il reçoit le feu vert, serait mené par l’Université de Genève. La requête peut surprendre: les expériences pilotes développées dans plusieurs villes suisses se trouvent actuellement au point mort, dans l’attente d’un vote au parlement. L’échantillon restreint de participants à Genève implique que l’effet sur le marché noir d’une distribution contrôlée ne pourra pas être étudié.

L'essai-pilote de vente régulée de cannabis entre dans sa phase concrète dans le canton de Genève. Courant décembre, une boutique spécialisée devrait ouvrir dans le quartier de Châtelaine à Vernier. Le processus de sélection d'un millier de volontaires commence dès ce dimanche 1er octobre. Les personnes intéressées peuvent s'inscrire sur le site de l'association ChanGE. Les critères suivants sont exigés: avoir 18 ans révolus, consommer déjà régulièrement du cannabis, s'engager à participer à des entretiens avec des chercheurs et remplir périodiquement des questionnaires.

In mehreren Schweizer Kantonen sind Diskussionen im Gang, ob und wie der Konsum von Cannabis legalisiert werden könnte. Eine Vorreiterrolle spielt Genf. Dort hat eine Kommission um alt Bundesrätin Ruth Dreifuss der Kantonsregierung Vorschläge für ein Pilotprojket vorgelegt. «Es sollte Vereine geben», sagt die Vorsteherin der Genfer Suchtkommission, die frühere Bundesrätin Ruth Dreifuss. In den Vereinen sollte der Cannabiskonsum dereinst legal sein, so das Ziel der Arbeitsgruppe. Bis dahin ist es aber noch ein weiter Weg.

In November 2021, when it was announced the German government would send a law to the Bundestag to legalize the consumption and possession of marijuana - which was approved on August 16 - a team of researchers led by Justus Haucap, professor of economics at the Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, published a study that made the German Finance Minister, Christian Lindner, the leader of the liberal party that had been one of the primary backers of the idea along with the Greens, very happy indeed. The Düsseldorf researchers constructed an economic scenario based on the consumption of 400 tons of cannabis per year, a scenario that would bring provide the public coffers with around €4.7 billion ($5.1 billion) per year.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and Minister of Food and Agriculture Cem Özdemir released the updated legalization plans, scaling back the framework announced last year. There will not be a country-wide commercial cannabis market as originally envisioned. Instead, adults wiil be allowed to possess up to 25 grams and grow up to three plants for personal use, while permitting nonprofit cannabis “clubs” with a maximum of 500 members. The plan would involve authorizing dispensaries in “certain districts/cities in several federal states” throughout Germany that would be licensed for five years, to study the impact of the shops on consumption trends and the illicit market. (See also: Germany waters down plan to legalize cannabis after EU talks | Germany's two-step plan to legalize cannabis)

Two articles published this week, in Der Tagesspiegel and LTO, throw cold water on expectations that the European Commission could give green light to Germany’s ‘Interpretationslösung’ to justify its cannabis regulation plan under EU law and UN treaties. No surprise, as I’ve also argued that the approach taken in the ‘Eckpunkte’ brings the whole project legally on thin ice. The way Peter Homberg (Dentons), Dirk Heidenblut (SPD) and Cornelius Maurer (Demecan) are ‘flirting with Plan B’, however, is equally problematic. Their narrative, based on the ‘Gutachten’ the Dentons law firm produced for Demecan, claims that a solution can be found by using the treaty exemption for ‘scientific purposes’.

El cantón suizo de Ginebra también está optando a participar en la venta de cannabis de uso lúdico para personas adultas. Un proyecto de la ciudad de Vernier será registrado estos días para añadirse a la lista de localidades que están ensayando el acceso de cannabis para personas adultas. A diferencia de otras ciudades, como el caso de Zúrich, en Vernier no se plantea la venta en farmacias, sino a través de lo que han llamado una “Cannabicoteca”. Según la información ofrecida, la Cannabicoteca funcionará como un sistema de acceso al cannabis centralizado en un edificio de uso comunitario exclusivo para aquellas personas adultas inscritas en el programa de cannabis.

El presidente Mujica de Uruguay declaró que en materia de drogas la preocupación del gobierno se centra en el narcotráfico porque “ese tipo de delito tiende a derramar una cultura delictiva sin freno donde la vida humana no cuenta”. La Junta Internacional de Fiscalización de Estupefacientes (JIFE) de las Naciones Unidas rechaza los planteos de legalización de la marihuana. Los gobiernos más criticados son los de Uruguay y Estados Unidos. (Véase también: Mujica contrario al autocultivo y propone suministro en hospitales)

El alcalde de Bogotá, Gustavo Petro Urrego, se refirió al interés del Gobierno Nacional por replicar el esquema de Bogotá 'Bazuco Cero', que brinda tratamiento a los consumidores de bazuco. Muchos de los delitos que se cometen en la ciudad son producto de la ansiedad que produce el bazuco. Petro aseguró que según encuestas y estudios a través de los CAMAD (Centro de Atención Móvil a Drogodependientes), se ha determinado que una de los alternativas de atención a la población adicta al bazuco es el suministro de marihuana terapéutica.

The cabinet has approved a pilot scheme for a medically supervised drug injection facility in Dublin. The facility was proposed by Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, the Minister in charge of the National Drugs Strategy. Additions to the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2015 will make provision for the establishment of supervised injection facilities. Mr Ó Ríordáin said he was delighted to get cabinet approval for his proposal. "Last month I gave a speech at the London School of Economics where I announced that Ireland needed to take a new approach to dealing with drug policy including the establishment of medically supervised injection facilities."

The pilot project to have state-run hash and marijuana dispensaries in Copenhagen received a setback after the Justice Ministry turned down the City Council's request to experiment with regulating cannabis in the city. In a letter to the Council, the social-democrat Minister of Justice, Morten Bødskov, wrote that the government will not permit the experiment as they believe that regulating hash and marijuana would likely increase both availability and use, which was unwise given the range of side effects that cannabis has been linked to.

The pilot project on the legalisation of cannabis in Luxembourg is expected to arrive at the government council "in due course," according to Paulette Lenert. In an interview with RTL, the Minister of Health said the controlled public sale of cannabis is likely to follow Germany's example in being authorised within the framework of an experiment, so as not to violate international rules. Lenert is optimistic that the government will soon be able to present updates on the concept to the government council. Lenert declined to confirm whether a bill on cannabis legalisation is likely to be tabled before the parliamentary elections.

One in seven Dutch coffee shops is set to join an experiment where for the first time cannabis growing is to be regulated. Justice minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus and health minister Bruno Bruins named the ten municipalities where all coffee shops will take part in a four year experiment aimed at controlling drug quality and reducing criminality. The Netherlands’ major four cities, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, will not take part in the experiment as it was deemed too difficult to include all of their coffee shops. Instead, the trial will include Arnhem, Almere, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Zaanstad. (See also: Cannabis trial: Dutch cities picked for cafe supply experiment | Dutch municipalities mull formal legalization of weed)

Die Befürworter einer kontrollierten Cannabis-Freigabe in Hamburg melden sich immer lauter zu Wort. Nun haben die Grünen einen Antrag in die Bürgerschaft eingebracht, in dem sie ein Modellprojekt zur kontrollierten Abgabe des aus der Hanfpflanze gewonnen Rauschmittels an Erwachsene fordern. So solle die durch den Schwarzmarkt entstehende Kriminalität bekämpft, die Prävention verbessert und die ineffektive Verfolgung von Kleinkonsumenten beseitigt werden. (Mehr dazu: Politiker wollen Cannabis legalisieren)

The Netherlands’ legal weed experiment kicked off in Breda and Tilburg, with Europe’s first ever licensed and controlled cannabis arriving in city coffeeshops. Health minister Ernst Kuipers joined Breda’s mayor Paul Delpa and Tilburg’s mayor Theo Weterings in coffeeshop De Baron in Breda to unpack the first box and scan the first barcodes in a low key, early morning launch. If successful, the decades old gedoogpolicy of tolerance, which Delpa brands “devious”, will end and smokers will now know exactly where and how their weed was produced, under strict government control. (See also: Shops in 2 Dutch cities start selling legally grown cannabis in an experiment to regulate pot trade)

If there’s one contradiction that goes to the heart of why Dutch drugs policy has lost its way, it’s this: that while it’s legal for “coffee shops” to sell cannabis for personal consumption, growing the cannabis they sell is illegal and subject to stiff penalties that have forced production underground. The result of this wholly irrational arrangement has been to undermine pretty much every significant policy initiative since 1972, when a Labour-led coalition government took the innovative step of focusing public resources predominantly on hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine. There are now moves at government level to find a more sensible way to supply cannabis to coffee shops without subsidising criminality. The Rutte government has set up a four-year pilot scheme in 10 cities.

370 adults taking part in Basel’s “Weed Care” scheme – a 2.5-year recreational pot smoking study. Its aim is to examine the impact of regulated cannabis supply on the health and consumption behaviour of users with a view to possible changes to the Swiss law. Basel was the first of seven Swiss cities to launch scientific studies this year. The results - especially on health risks, smoking habits and problematic consumption - will be closely scrutinised in the coming years. The pilot projects have public support yet remain contentious. Could Switzerland’s cautious step-by-step scientific approach offer a new way forward for countries considering whether to allow recreational cannabis? (See also: Switzerland’s pioneering legal cannabis experiment: Basel’s story)

En los Países Bajos el cannabis sigue siendo técnicamente ilegal. Aunque el consumo recreativo está tolerado por las autoridades el cultivo de la marihuana aún está perseguido. Esto ha convertido el sistema holandés en una paradoja de difícil digestión. El absurdo legal que tolera su consumo mientras criminaliza su cultivo llevó a que hasta 35 ciudades pidiesen la regulación del cultivo de cannabis. El Gobierno aprobó el pasado junio un interesante experimento: durante los próximos cuatro años 10 localidades podrán dar licencias de cultivo a granjeros de la marihuana para que provean de hierba a todos los ‘coffeeshops’ bajo su jurisdicción. Casi un año después de su aprobación aún no hay una estrategia concreta.

Supplying coffeeshops with cannabis is illegal, so this is being done through a complicated ‘back-door’ policy. There might be a change coming with the start of the ‘controlled cannabis supply chain experiment’. Ten municipalities with a grand total of 79 coffeeshops have been selected for the experiment. These coffeeshops will start selling legally produced cannabis supplied by ten government-designated growers. The aim is to find out whether it is possible to regulate a quality-controlled supply of cannabis to coffeeshops and to see if the experiment has any effect on crime, safety and public health. A lot of people are happy about the new direction the Netherlands seems to be moving in, but others are critical and think progress is too slow.