Tag: Switzerland

A public policy experiment is underway in Basel, Switzerland where a limited number of adults are now permitted to purchase adult-use cannabis from regulated outlets as part of the nation’s cannabis commerce pilot program, commonly referred to as ‘Weed Care.’

Cannabis commerce pilot programs are not a new concept in Europe, however, getting one to a point where consumers are actually making purchases has proven to be a very heavy lift for various jurisdictions on the continent.

Arguably the biggest pilot program failure thus far in Europe can be found in the Netherlands, where a pilot program has experienced delay after delay. As it stands right now, the pilot program in the Netherlands is not expected to launch until 2024 at the earliest.

Fortunately for a limited number of consumers in Basel, Switzerland, they are now able to make legal purchases. Per Watson:

In Basel, the first participants in the regulated cannabis delivery in pharmacies obtained their legal portions of substance on Monday morning. 374 people aged between 18 and 76 are taking part in the “Weed Care” study in two phases.

The first study group of around 180 people has been able to obtain various cannabis products from nine Basel pharmacies since Monday, as the Basel Health Department announced on Monday. An ID card issued for the study entitles you to purchase it.

The goal of a pilot program is to help policymakers and regulators gather information at a local level in order to, in theory, be better suited to pass reform and regulation measures at a national level.

Some cannabis advocates have pointed to pilot programs as being a double-edged sword of sorts, in that while it does permit some legal commerce, it also possibly pushes larger reform out too far into the future.

Switzerland will serve as a great example of that potential phenomenon and it will be interesting to see if Switzerland eventually abandons pilot programs for nationwide reform once Germany legalizes. Legalization in Germany will presumably occur well before the slated end of the pilot program experiments in Switzerland.

Switzerland is following in Denmark’s footsteps by launching its first adult-use cannabis commerce pilot program. A little over two weeks ago legal cannabis sales were supposed to begin for adult-use purposes in Basel, Switzerland for the first time as part of a localized cannabis pilot program, although the launch was delayed and it’s unclear if sales have started, and if not, when they will start. Regardless, just as Denmark is seeking to expand its pilot program to other cities, Switzerland is planning on doing the same, with a pilot program now being announced for Geneva in 2023.

The Netherlands is another European country that is trying to launch adult-use pilot programs, although that effort has experienced a series of delays as we previously reported. Lausanne, Switzerland is also set to launch a pilot program in the near future.

A Slower Path To National Legalization

The goal of an adult-use cannabis commerce pilot program is to help national lawmakers and regulators gain insight into what works and what does not work at a local level when it comes to cannabis policy in order to be better suited to craft national policies. That may prove to be a two-edged sword in that it will likely ensure that national legalization happens eventually, however, it may also ensure that legalization does not happen in the near future, as the Switzerland pilot program itself was originally slated for a five year cycle, with a possible multi-year extension option for local jurisdictions.

A big question that I have, and I know I am not alone in wondering this, is will Switzerland scrap the pilot programs and go with full national legalization once Germany passes its own legalization measure and implements a robust, regulated adult-use industry? Or will it stay the course and wait at least five years after the launch of local pilot programs before taking action at the national level? Obviously, there is a tremendous opportunity cost involved if Switzerland waits too long to make the larger leap.

Expanding Pilot Programs

As of right now, there is no firm date for legalization in Germany, although legalization there does appear to be inevitable and it’s a question of ‘if’ not ‘when.’ In the meantime, it would be a great thing for Switzerland to expand its pilot program to as many cities as possible. After all, if every city in Switzerland was home to a pilot program, that would effectively legalize cannabis for adult use for many people, although there is a limited number of slots for each program so presumably there would still be a lot of people left on the outside looking in.

Pilot programs are a great short-term concept and absolutely better than outright prohibition. With that being said, they are also far inferior to national legalization, such as can be found in Canada, and lawmakers in Switzerland need to recognize that and push harder for wider reform. Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy, including in countries that are home to adult-use pilot programs. Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands – they all ultimately need to ditch the piecemeal approach and move towards comprehensive national legalization.

The Swiss pilot project is due to begin on September 15, allowing 370 people to access cannabis and hash through legal means

“Weed Care,” the first cannabis legalization trial in Switzerland, is a mere fortnight from kicking off. The program, located in the Swiss city of Basel, is now in the process of selecting participants. Authorities will begin contacting successful applicants over the next few weeks. More people have already shown an interest in participating than slots allocated for trial participants. In fact, after online registration was launched last week, close to 600 people signed up.

No matter who is finally selected, residents of the city can continue to register on the website of the pilot project. Prerequisites are that participants must be over 18, not pregnant and can prove that they already use cannabis.

Four tested strains of cannabis flower and two strains of hash will be made available starting on September 15.

Background on Basel’s Cannabis Legalization Trial

The trial is intended to provide information about the extent to which legalization and a move away from the black-market influences’ consumer behaviour and impacts consumer health. Participants will be subject to checks by officials running the experiment.

The Basel city director of Health, Lukas Engelberger has already said that while he would prefer a no-cannabis use policy, prohibition has clearly failed. As a result, the goal of the study is to create a “minimally harmful” regulatory model to create a market which is safe.

Basel is one of five Swiss cities to embark on such a trial. The southern town of Lausanne appears to be the second municipality on track to implement the same – although it will create a trial about three times larger that consists of 1,000 people.

Medical cannabis use became legal on a federal basis in Switzerland as of the end of July. The government made amendments to the national Narcotics Act in May 2021 to allow such trials to proceed.

Could The Swiss Experiment Impact European Reform?

While there have been many naysayers on the German side of the border, it is very likely that the Swiss recreational cannabis trial is likely to influence cannabis legalization discussions in other countries. This does not mean that it will be a carbon copy. For example, in Switzerland, the first distribution of recreational cannabis will happen through pharmacies. That is unlikely to happen in Germany.

However, the idea of starting with limited home grow options as well as specific city trials, albeit not necessarily with limited participation, is very likely to be adopted across borders – potentially starting in places like both Germany as well as Luxembourg and Malta.

The Swiss government has joined other European countries in fully legalizing medical cannabis for domestic use, and export

Switzerland is moving forward on its own path to full legalization. With a federal recreational trial pending, the country has now fully and formally legalized medical cannabis use. This has been achieved by amending the Swiss Narcotics Act to change the status of cannabis.

As a result, as of August 1, Swiss patients can obtain medical cannabis via a simple prescription from a regular doctor. Up until now, patients had to obtain special permission from the Federal Office of Public Health. The government has justified this new development by stating that the demand for authorizations has created a huge administrative burden and slowed down medical treatment.

There are currently about 3,000 authorizations for medical cannabis use in Switzerland, issued for patients suffering from cancer, neurological conditions, and MS. The authorization for exceptional use was authorized in 2019. Beyond this, there are an untold number of patients who have also obtained cannabis from the illegal market.

The Transition to Cannabis Normalization

The University of Geneva published a study in June that estimated that the economic impact of legalization in Switzerland would generate an estimated $1 billion in revenue and create about 4,400 full-time jobs. An earlier study published two years ago estimated that the value of the national cannabis market would be about half that.

Obviously, both figures are just guestimates. There is really no way to understand both recreational and medical demand until both are fully normalized.

The Impact on European Legalization

Switzerland is located in Europe but is not a member of the EU. Regardless, the steady progression here towards a normalized market has clearly helped drive the conversation elsewhere. This starts with Germany. However, it also includes countries like Malta, Luxembourg, and Portugal on the recreational side of the debate, and beyond this, Spain, Greece, Italy, and the Czech Republic on the purely medical side.

The path to legalization in Switzerland is also being achieved through a slow normalization of medical use while beginning a limited trial in key cities later this year.

As a result, it is obvious that the Swiss example will be studied and considered as other countries begin to make moves in this direction. One of the more interesting aspects of the same is that Switzerland has also effectively lifted some kinds of regulation that are applied to the industry elsewhere – including GMP and Novel Food. How this will work externally is another question as Swiss products are exported across international borders.

Regardless, the small steps Switzerland is making now will certainly forward the entire debate, both here, and in their immediate surroundings.

The future is increasingly now.

The city, set to be the second after Basel, is gearing up for its pilot trial now on track for this autumn

Calling cannabis users in Lausanne! The government wants you for its first recreational cannabis trial.

A first in French-speaking Switzerland, the southern city will sell cannabis via a non-profit association located in the city centre. Called Cann-L, the project is currently being finalized and will require approval by the cantonal ethics commission.

The signup process is also not complete, but users can pre-register via an online signup form that asks the prerequisite questions. Eligibility includes being over the age of 18, that you live in Lausanne, and whether (and how often) you consume cannabis or cannabis products containing more than 1% THC. The organizers also want to know if you are breastfeeding.

Final selection will happen this fall, as the city launches the trial.

The Swiss Move Ahead – With Germany Close Behind

The Swiss will have five city trials underway before the end of the year. Other cities also moving towards launch this year include Basel, which just announced its own plans, as well as Zurich, Bern, and Geneva.

The impact of the national trial will be interesting to watch as it will be taking place in parallel to the launch of Germany’s new market – now expected to be authorized by the end of 2022 with implementation presumably within the next 18-24 months.

Given the fact that sources are confirming that the German government will set up a for-profit industry from the beginning, and even authorize special dispensaries for the same, the comparison between the two markets will be interesting to watch.

It is unlikely, however, that the German government will just pass legislation allowing limited trials. Statements coming out of Berlin over the last several weeks suggest that the Germans will go whole hog.

How this will impact the Swiss trials is another question – particularly as the participant numbers for Basel and Lausanne are low (only 1,400 participants between them).

Beyond this, of course, with an open border, it is not inconceivable that German products may start to end up in Switzerland. Legally or illegally.

As a result, it may be that the German decision to create a recreational market will completely overwhelm what appears to be a more measured, and limited progression of the issue in Switzerland.

One thing is for sure. Reform has come to the EU and the DACH region of the world. And may, beyond anything else, also finally flip Austria into the rec column too. Not to mention other countries now on the edge of recreational reform like Portugal.

It is going to be a fascinating 24 months in Europe for sure!