As a joint project of the University of Basel, the University Psychiatric Clinics and the Basel-Stadt Health Department, the FOPH has now approved the first pilot trial for the controlled dispensing of non-medical cannabis in pharmacies. The findings on controlled access are expected to provide insights for the future legal regulation of cannabis.
Currently, it is illegal to grow, import, produce or sell cannabis in Switzerland. Despite this ban, consumption is widespread and the black market is flourishing. This does not guarantee the safety of the consumers. Surveys show that a majority of the population is open to fundamentally reconsidering the use of cannabis in the coming years. Attitudes among the population thus confirm the path taken by the Federal Council and Parliament in cannabis policy. Because since May 2021, spatially and temporally limited pilot trials with controlled dispensing of cannabis for non-medical purposes are possible.
The canton of Basel-Stadt has now made use of this. The legal sale of cannabis in pharmacies is now to be investigated here. This is to ensure expert advice to users on lower-risk consumption. The aim of the pilot trials is to gain knowledge about the effects of controlled access to cannabis, particularly on the health of users, their habits or the black market.
Cannabis pilot trials must meet strict requirements regarding health and youth protection. Thus, only adults are allowed to participate in the study and their health status must be continuously monitored. A complete ban on advertising applies. The cannabis products must also meet high quality standards and come from organic cultivation. The transfer of study cannabis will be sanctioned with appropriate measures and will result in exclusion from the pilot trial in case of recurrence.
The pilot tests are intended to increase knowledge of alternative forms of regulation. They should provide the basis for future legal regulation that is scientifically sound and accepted by the population.
Source: “Federal government approves first application for a cannabis pilot trial in Basel-Stadt”, 19.04.2022, Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).
InFo NEUROLOGY & PSYCHIATRY 2022; 20(3): 44.
