Parliament has approved a modification to the Swiss narcotics law that will allow studies of recreational cannabis use in the country’s largest cities.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jdp
Both houses approved the change to the law on Wednesday following debate over whether the cannabis distributed to users had to be of local or organic origin.
The right-wing Swiss People’s Party saw this as an opportunity to support the country’s agriculture sector. Parliament ultimately decided that Swiss and organic cannabis should be used as far as possible.
The vote paves the way for scientific studies on the effects of the controlled use of cannabis to be carried out. This is intended to help evaluate the effects of new regulations on the recreational use of cannabis and ultimately, combat the black market distribution of cannabis.
One third of the Swiss population is reported to have already smoked marijuana and some 200,000 people use it on a regular basis. Several cities including Bern, Geneva, Zurich and Basel have shown interest in conducting studies to better understand the current cannabis market.
Any pilot projects that involve the distribution of cannabis will be regulated by a strict framework along with an enforcement order. Participation in pilot projects will be limited to cannabis users who are at least 18 years old. The health status of participants will be closely monitored.
Trials will not last for more than five years and the number of participants should not exceed 5,000 per trial.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Heimatort, sweet Heimatort: the unique Swiss concept of home
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
This content was published on
A 16-year-old boy was trapped in a shop door during an attempted burglary in Vevey, western Switzerland, on Friday night. He died on the spot.
This content was published on
The 39th Fribourg International Film Festival (FIFF) has ended with a new attendance record. It also crowned a Chinese film the winner of the 2025 Grand Prix: Black Dog.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed cutting its budget by a fifth. This comes after its largest contributor, the US, decided to withdraw.
Swissaid and Helvetas support earthquake victims in Myanmar
This content was published on
The aid organisations want to use these funds to provide the population affected by Friday's earthquake with the most basic necessities.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss cannabis market worth up to half a billion francs annually
This content was published on
Cannabis remains by far the most widespread drug enjoyed in Switzerland, even if the value of the market is much lower than that for cocaine.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.