Zurich To Launch Cannabis Legalization Pilot Program

The government of Switzerland approved a plan for legalizing the possession and use of cannabis in Zurich as part a three-year pilot program that aims to evaluate the economic and social impacts of legalizing cannabis. The trial will allow thousands of Zurich residents to buy cannabis for their personal use starting this summer. Researchers have made arrangements to establish 21 supply points throughout the city. The supply points will be open from August to allow for sales of cannabis. Participants in the study will have the opportunity to choose from a variety cannabis products with different levels of THC or CBD. All cannabis products purchased through the pilot program will have been organically produced by licensed Swiss firms and tested for purity. According to Forbes, the prices of cannabis at study supply points will reflect the price of the city’s illegal market. Two producers, Pure Production AG and Swissextract, will begin cultivating cannabis for this study after receiving government approval. According to Forbes, the first harvest of cured cannabis flowers is expected to be available in July. Concentrates will be delivered to the pilot program’s supply point in October. Participants in the study, which is being conducted in conjunction with the University of Zurich and the Zurich city council, will need to complete a questionnaire every six-months. Participants will be asked about their cannabis consumption habits as well as the health effects of cannabis use. According to CNBC, the leaders of the study claim that the pilot program’s goal is to determine if Swiss cannabis legalization can be achieved while “promoting individual and general health and safety.” The data from the trial will be made available on a regular basis starting next year. “The idea is to gather robust real-world evidence that serves policymaking for [new] national cannabis regulation,” Burri stated. The study will compare the benefits and disadvantages of different cannabis products. The study will also evaluate the current illegal cannabis market in Zurich. It will focus on maintaining public health, public safety, and protecting young people from cannabis-related risks. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and active cannabis users. The pilot is not open to pregnant women, professional drivers, and people with underlying medical conditions. Study candidates who are suffering from drug dependence or poor health as a result of cannabis use are not eligible. Public health studies in Switzerland show that around a third have tried cannabis. According to research, Zurich, the most populous city in Switzerland with 420,000 inhabitants, has approximately 13,000 regular cannabis users. The 2020 Narcotics Act amendment was passed by the Swiss federal parliament. This allows for studies on the regulation of cannabis sales. The amendment to the Narcotics act was approved on May 15, 2021. This allowed pilot studies to be conducted with controlled sale of cannabis for recreational use. It was launched last year by Basel with 400 participants. Other pilot studies are planned for the Swiss cities Bern, Lausanne and Geneva, Biel. Thun, Olten, Winterthur, and Geneva. However, sales of adult-use cannabis in Malta have not been legalized in the small island nation. Germany is expected to be the next EU member that legalizes recreational marijuana. Legislation is expected from lawmakers soon. Officials in Luxembourg and Belgium have also proposed legalizing cannabis for adults in the Czech Republic. However, details of the plan are still being worked out. The Netherlands also launched a pilot program to allow cannabis sales in the cities Tilburg (and Breda) last month.