Swiss Neutrality as a Vicious Circle

Cannabis, marijuana, dope, Mary Jane – the plant is known by various names. In recent years, opinions have been widely divided around the effects and use of cannabis. While certain countries legalize its use altogether, in others it is still prohibited and punished. Is this fair? Some claim that marijuana damages the psyche and leads to aggressive behaviour. However, many studies show the medical benefits of cannabis. In Canada, the recreational use of marijuana was allowed two years ago. Other countries, like Switzerland, are a bit more conservative.

Where is the Swiss neutrality in the cannabis issue?

Switzerland, the small European country, is known for its neutrality in all world political affairs. But how does Switzerland deal with cannabis? In Switzerland, about 750,000 joints are smoked every day. A ban “makes little sense,” said Adrian Gschwend of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) last week. The FOPH therefore sees a legalization of cannabis use as more reasonable than continuing to support the black market through prohibition. At present, Switzerland is once again in a neutral position – typically.  Cannabis is not completely banned, but there are some restrictions.  Currently, you can legally grow, sell and consume cannabis with up to 1.0% THC. Anything with a higher THC content is prohibited. However, the fine for illegal possession and consumption is somewhat ridiculous – 100CHF as a penalty. This makes us think about whether it would be easier to legalize cannabis instead of spending manpower and man-hours on such a prohibition.

Which cannabis products can be bought in Switzerland?

Everything that contains up to 1.0%THC can be consumed legally. So, you can buy CBD Oil, CBD flowers and CBD drops at a swiss CBD shop, as long as the 1.0%THC rule is respected. Meanwhile, you can find various stores that specialize in selling legal CBD products. To meet the guidelines, there are also some cannabis growers in Switzerland who have modified the cannabis plant to meet the guidelines.

What does the cannabis future look like in Switzerland?

The 2017 pilot project in Bern wanted to test the sale of cannabis to selected consumers. But the federal government backed away from it at the time. Now, plans are underway to conduct a new test project next year in August 2022. Here, the goal is to sell cannabis from organic and tested cultivation to test subjects. However, the federal government stresses that it is important that the product comes from organic cultivation. Other points include that the individuals must all be of legal age and already have experience with consumption. Although the Swiss population is not a big fan of cannabis, about 70%, according to a study, are behind the legalization of marijuana. The desire of the population is to have a safe, regulated and if possible, drug-free society. The Swiss cannabis black market is large. Annually, 582 million Swiss francs are sold on the black market – if the federal government were to take over the trade of cannabis, this would be a large new amount for the treasury…So will Switzerland really step out of its neutrality spiral and legalize cannabis?