Cannabis in Switzerland
In March 2019, the Federal Administrative Court upheld the taxation scheme by customs officials, which impose a tax of CHF38 ($37.70) per kilo (2 lb) as well as 25% of the retail revenue.
Previously, Swiss physicians required a special permit from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) to prescribe cannabis-based treatments.
[9] Medical cannabis is primarily used for chronic pain, spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and neurological diseases, and nausea or appetite loss during chemotherapy.
To improve scientific evidence, a mandatory data collection system has been implemented, requiring prescribing doctors to report treatment outcomes for at least two years.
Platforms like Canna Viva provide remote consultations with licensed physicians, allowing patients to receive medical advice and prescriptions online.
[14] Swiss authorities continue to monitor the therapeutic effects and prescription patterns of cannabis-based treatments through ongoing data collection and scientific evaluations.
In 2001, the Swiss Federal Council (government) committed to implement changes as to decriminalisation of personal use and possession, and the Parliament was tasked to tender concrete approaches.
[15] As a reaction, a popular initiative ("Eidgenössische Volksinitiative für eine vernünftige Hanf-Politik mit wirksamem Jugendschutz") to amend the constitution to legalise cannabis was introduced 2004.
[16][19] Since 28 September 2012, the possession of less than 10 grams (⅓ oz) of cannabis was no longer a criminal infringement, but was still punished by a 100 Swiss francs flat fine.
[24] The Federal Supreme Court further decided in July 2023 that the sole possession of up to 10 grams (⅓ oz) of cannabis which is not meant for sale is completely legal and therefore the police cannot confiscate this amount.
[29] On 11 September 2018, a parliamentary initiative by the Green Party, that demanded a law on regulation of cultivation, trade, recreational consumption, youth protection, and taxing of cannabis, was rejected in the National Council by 104 to 86 votes.
In 2016, the cities of Geneva, Basel, Bern, and Zürich stated that they planned to establish pilot cannabis clubs to gauge their utility, limited to 2,000 members total and to be studied for four years.
Federal ordinances will remain in effect for 10 years, determining the individual criteria for trial participants, and regulating the national production and trade of psychotropic cannabis (made in Switzerland).
[38] A number of larger Swiss cities and municipalities have expressed interest to participate in the pilot trials, but will have to prove first that recreational cannabis is not negatively affecting the well-being of the general population.
[40] Originally scheduled to begin in September 2022, the "Weed Care" program started on 31 January 2023 with the possibility for a first half of the 374 participants to buy cannabis legally.
