Swiss Government to Study the Role of Cannabis in Society

The Swiss government has decided to seriously address the impact of cannabis on public consciousness. As a result, the parliament has approved scientific research into recreational cannabis use.

The National Council of Switzerland has adopted an amendment to the Federal Act on Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances. This new provision will, for the first time in the country’s history, allow scientific studies related to non-medical (recreational) cannabis consumption.

The pilot studies will be time-limited and will only involve volunteers over the age of 18 who already use cannabis or cannabis-based products.

“Switzerland is a global pioneer in shaping drug policy. But in recent years, this policy has stalled, mainly because parliament has been blocking any further progress,” said Flavia Wasserfallen, a member of the Social Democratic Party.

“The war on drugs has failed; we have not been able to limit cannabis use through laws and threats of punishment. If one approach doesn’t work, it’s time to try another. Sometimes, more liberal measures based on individual responsibility yield much better results,” admitted Philippe Nantermod, a member of the Liberal Party.

Cannabis Use in Switzerland

Cannabis with a THC content above 1% is currently the most commonly used illegal substance in Switzerland. In the 1990s, cannabis use increased, but over the past 15 years, the numbers have stabilized and remained steady.

Using cannabis with more than 1% THC is illegal in Switzerland. Anyone caught in the act can be fined 100 Swiss francs (about $110). However, it is permitted to possess up to 10 grams of such cannabis in an unlit state “for personal use.”

According to available statistics, over the past five years, the average THC content in cannabis actually consumed in Switzerland has ranged between 9% and 12%, and in hashish between 17% and 21%. In a 2016 survey, 3.1% of respondents said they had used cannabis in the past 30 days.

This share rises sharply to 6% among those aged 25 to 34, and to 9.4% among those aged 15 to 19. According to estimates, only 1.1% of the country’s population (8.5 million residents) are considered “problematic” cannabis users.

Comparing cannabis use in Switzerland to other developed countries over the past twelve months, Switzerland stands at 9.2% of the total population, which is higher than the European average (7.4%), but lower than France (11%) and Italy (10.2%), while ahead of Germany (6.1%) and Austria (6.4%).