The first Swiss project on the legal sale of cannabis in pharmacies will start on September 15 in canton Basel City. Hemp users over 18 can now register to take part, with the number of participants limited to 370.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ts/ug
Español
es
Test: Venta de cannabis en farmacias suizas a precios de mercado negro
Six cannabinoid products – four types of cannabis flowers and two types of hashish – will be sold in nine pharmacies selected by the authorities, cantonal health minister Lukas Engelberger said on Thursday.
The prices charged by the pharmacies will be around those charged on the black market for products with a THC content. A gram will therefore cost CHF8-CHF12 ($8.40-$12.60).
The Federal Office of Public Health approved the pilot in April. It will be part of a project by the University of Basel, its psychiatric clinics and the cantonal health department.
It is intended to help evaluate the effects of new regulations on the recreational use of cannabis and ultimately combat black market distribution.
Legal ban
Several other local authorities, including Zurich, Geneva and Bern, have also applied to roll out similar trials. The Swiss parliament laid the legal basis for such small-scale initiatives in September 2020.
The health office estimates there are 220,000 regular consumers of cannabis in Switzerland despite a legal ban. The use of cannabis is only allowed for medical reasons.
In 2008 almost two-thirds of Swiss voters rejected an initiative to decriminalise cannabis consumption; it was the second national vote on the issue in a decade.
More
More
Swiss cannabis market – a delicate balancing act
This content was published on
Producing and selling hemp inflorescences with low THC content has been legal in Switzerland since 2017. But the market hasn’t been a gold mine.
Holcim selling business in Nigeria to Chinese cement group
This content was published on
The Swiss cement manufacturer Holcim wants to sell its shares in the Nigeria-based Lafarge Africa PLC Group to the Chinese cement manufacturer Huaxin Cement. The sale price is one billion dollars on a 100 percent basis.
This content was published on
The Swiss Scout Movement has been recognised for its achievements in promoting tolerance, respect and living together in peace.
This content was published on
Compulsory tipping does not meet with unanimous approval among the Swiss. More than two-thirds do not want to include tipping in the price of their food.
This content was published on
Electric cars are still a rarity in Switzerland. Currently, 4.1 percent of registered cars run exclusively on electricity. There are some major differences between the cantons, as the Energy Reporter from Energie Schweiz and Geoimpact shows.
Black Friday gets off to a slow start in Swiss shops
This content was published on
Black Friday has established itself as one of the biggest shopping events in Switzerland in recent years. On Friday, however, business was rather slow, especially in the stores.
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
Health office approves first Swiss project to sell cannabis for recreational use
This content was published on
The city of Basel is the first to be given the green light by the Swiss authorities for a scientific trial with cannabis for recreational use.
Majority of Swiss support the legalisation of cannabis
This content was published on
Nearly two-thirds of people surveyed want the minimum age of consumption to be set at 18, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said. Two-thirds are in favor of conducting pilot tests on the controlled distribution of cannabis for recreational purposes. The survey was conducted by the Sotomo Institute from the end of January to…
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.