Zurich launches pilot program to legalize cannabis

The Swiss government has approved a plan to legalize the possession and use of cannabis in the city of Zurich as part of a three-year pilot program to assess the social and economic impact of cannabis legalization. As a result of the study, thousands of Zurich residents will be able to buy cannabis for personal use starting this summer.

“The study will have a broad focus to gather data on the effects of different cannabis strengths, what helps individuals make informed decisions, and the pros and cons of different sales models,” said Barbara Burri, project leader at the City of Zurich health department.

The pilot program will enable a test group of up to 2,100 Zurich residents to purchase regulated doses of cannabis for personal use from pharmacies, associations and specialty pharmacies. The researchers have made provisions for a total of 21 supply points, which are said to be distributed throughout the city. The sale of cannabis for the study is expected to begin at delivery points from August this year.

Study participants have a variety of cannabis products to choose from, each with different THC and CBD concentrations. All cannabis products derived from the pilot program are organically produced by licensed Swiss companies and laboratory tested for purity and potency. Prices for cannabis available at study supply points are set to reflect prices in the city’s illegal market.

After receiving government approval, two producers – Pure Production AG and Swissextract – will begin cultivating cannabis for the study, according to a report by Forbes. The first harvest of cured cannabis flowers is expected to be ready in July, with cannabis concentrates being shipped to pilot program supply points in October.

The participants in the study, which is being conducted by the city of Zurich in cooperation with the University of Zurich, have to answer a questionnaire every six months during the three-year study period. The questionnaire will ask participants about their cannabis use habits and the health effects of their cannabis use.

Focus of study on the effects of legalization in Zurich

The study’s leaders say that the goal of the pilot program, according to a report by CNBC, is to determine the conditions under which the legalization of cannabis in Switzerland can be consistent with the “promotion of individual and public health and safety.” The data collected from the study will be published on an ongoing basis starting next year.

“The idea is to get robust real-world evidence to inform policy-making for novelty [national] Regulating cannabis,” Burri said.

Researchers conducting the study will compare and contrast the pros and cons of different cannabis products and sources. The study will also assess the current illicit cannabis market in Zurich, with research focused on maintaining public health, ensuring public safety and protecting young people from the risks of cannabis use.

Zurich residents interested in participating in the cannabis legalization pilot study can register online for the program. Participants must be active cannabis users at least 18 years of age. Pregnant women, professional drivers and people with previous illnesses are excluded from participating in the research pilot. Study candidates who show signs of drug addiction or poor health due to drug use are also ineligible.

Public health studies have shown that around a third of adults in Switzerland have tried cannabis. Zurich, the most populous city in the Alpine state with around 420,000 inhabitants, has around 13,000 regular cannabis users according to studies.

In 2020, the Swiss parliament passed a so-called experimental article in the Narcotics Act, which allows studies on the regulated sale of cannabis. On May 15, 2021, the amendment to the Narcotics Act came into force, enabling pilot tests with the controlled sale of cannabis for recreational purposes.

The city of Basel was the first municipality in Switzerland to carry out a pilot study with 400 participants that was launched last year. Further pilot studies planned for the Swiss cities of Bern, Lausanne, Geneva, Biel, Thun, Olten and Winterthur will be carried out in the coming months.

Malta is the only country in the European Union to have legalized recreational cannabis for personal use, although the sale of cannabis for adult use has not been legalized on the tiny Mediterranean island nation. Germany will likely be the next EU member to legalize recreational marijuana, with legislation expected from lawmakers soon. The Czech Republic has also announced plans to legalize adult-use cannabis, although details of the plan have not yet been released.

Legalization plans for cannabis, which would allow cultivation for personal use, have been proposed by officials in Luxembourg and Belgium. And last month, the Netherlands launched a pilot program for cannabis sales in the cities of Tilburg and Breda.