Federal government approves first application for a cannabis pilot trial in the city of Basel
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has approved the first pilot trial for the controlled distribution of non-medical cannabis.
Since May 15, 2021, limited pilot trials with controlled dispensing of cannabis for non-medical purposes have been possible in Switzerland. Since then, individual applications have been submitted to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). The first application from the canton of Basel-Stadt has now been approved, in which the legal sale of cannabis in pharmacies is to be investigated.
According to the FOPH, the pilot trials are intended to provide insights into the effects of controlled access to cannabis, particularly on the health of users, their consumption habits and the black market.
According to the FOPH, the cannabis pilot trials must meet strict requirements regarding the protection of health and minors. For example, only adults may take part in the study and their state of health must be continuously monitored. The cannabis products must also meet high quality standards and come from organic cultivation.
Surveys show that a majority of the population is open to fundamentally rethinking the approach to cannabis in the coming years. According to the FOPH, the attitudes of the population confirm the path taken by the Federal Council and Parliament in cannabis policy.
Source: BAG
