Basel cannabis study reports improvements in smokers’ mental health
The "Weedcare" project in Basel aims 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.
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Listening: Basel cannabis study reports improvements in smokers’ mental health
After two years, a legal recreational cannabis study known as "Weedcare", carried out in Basel in northwestern Switzerland, has been given a positive assessment. The 300 participants in the experiment to assess the benefits of regulating the supply of the recreational drug were in better mental health than before it began, and addictive behaviour has improved, say officials.
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Basler Cannabisstudie hat Psyche von Kiffern verbessert
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Over the course of the two-year “Weedcare” recreational cannabis study, depressive symptoms and anxiety decreased among the participants, Basel City’s Department of Health reported on Friday. They also showed less addictive behaviour.
However, their level of cannabis consumption remained unchanged over the two years: neither the number of days on which cannabis was consumed nor the amount of cannabis.
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High times in Basel: Swiss city experiments with recreational cannabis
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Switzerland has launched legal cannabis experiments in cities this year to assess the benefits of regulating the supply of the recreational drug.
A total of 87 kilograms of cannabis were sold in Basel in the first two years of the study, valued at CHF900,000 on the illegal market, according to the press release. A third of these were products with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content – the substance that generates a “high” – of less than 13%. According to the health department, this THC level is less than usual black market products.
The Basel study will continue until January 2027 followed by a final report.
The study is being led by Basel City’s Department of Health, together with the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, the Psychiatric Services Aargau and the University of Basel.
First cannabis trial in Switzerland
The cannabis trial in Basel City was the first of its kind in Switzerland. Participants were selected for the project among local applicants: Basel residents who had already consumed cannabis and were at least 18 years old.
From September 2022, they were able to buy various cannabis products in several pharmacies in Basel. A gram costs between CHF8 and 12.
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Similar trials have since been launched in other Swiss cities, including Zurich, Lausanne, Bern, Biel and Lucerne.
After grappling with the issue for years, Switzerland has decided to investigate the impact of decriminalising recreational cannabis. In 2020 parliament backed a legal change allowing for studies to provide scientific information for future decisions on cannabis regulation.
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Switzerland inches closer to legalising recreational cannabis
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Parliamentary committee vote pushes Switzerland closer to allowing cannabis use for non-medicinal purposes.
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