Is Swiss Cannabis Law Pioneering Or Reckless?

The Social and Health Committee of the House of Representatives wants to lift the ban on cannabis. On August 29 this year, it sent the draft of a future Cannabis Products Act out for consultation. This deadline expired at the beginning of December.

In its statement, the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Affairs welcomed the thrust of the draft. The law would create legal access to safe and regulated cannabis products for the adult population, it said. This could reduce health risks and contact with the black market. However, the lack of protection for minors is a key gap.

The Conference of Cantonal Health Directors takes a more critical view of the draft in its co-report: regulation is too complex and cannot be implemented by the cantons in its current form. In addition, it considers it premature to regulate the cannabis market as long as the results of the pilot projects in some Swiss cities are not yet available.

+ Switzerland inches closer to legalising recreational cannabis

A circumstance that has also been criticised by the Blue Cross. For these reasons, and for lack of protection of minors, the umbrella organisation for addiction support rejects the Cannabis Products Act, it said in a statement. With a dispensing age of 18, neutral packaging and a ban on advertising, the parliamentary commission is taking important measures, it said, but these are not enough to protect minors and young adults.

The right-wing Swiss People's Party is even clearer: the new federal law on cannabis products contradicts a responsible drug policy. The bill undermines public safety and places an additional burden on the healthcare system. it said. In particular, the party categorised the constant availability of cannabis via online sales as“counterproductive and grossly negligent”.

+ Cannabis: comeback of a banned medicineExternal link

The Centre Party also wants to maintain the ban. It fears that the legalisation of cannabis for adults will mean that minors will also have easier access. The desired strengthening of the protection of minors would thus fail to materialise, the Centre Party argued in its statement. In addition, the legal handling for employers, authorities and law enforcement agencies remains largely unclear.

The left-wing Social Democratic Party comes to a completely different conclusion. The Cannabis Products Act gives Switzerland a“pioneering role” in a European comparison. it said. The law promotes a more responsible and less risky approach, which in particular guarantees the protection of minors, the party explained its decision to adopt the bill.

For the centrist Liberal Green Party, a legal framework with clear quality and safety standards would better protect consumers. This would strengthen prevention and allow problematic consumer behaviour to be recognised earlier, it said. The illegal market is currently benefiting from the ban in Switzerland, it wrote and declared the prohibitive approach a failure in its statement.

Adapted from German by AI/ts