====== What became of the parliamentary initiative? ======

**A few years ago, there was not enough for a popular initiative. But there was an initiative from parliament: In 2020, National Councilor Siegenthaler submitted such a proposal, which was followed up or approved by the two responsible commissions in 2021. Summer 2022: Where is the journey heading now?**

===== "Regulation of the cannabis market for better youth and consumer protection" =====

This is the title of this parliamentary initiative. The initiator Heinz Siegenthaler wants to replace the unspeakable black market with stretched products and untaxed profits by something better - with quality control, real protection of minors as well as more money for prevention. So prohibition should be lifted and hemp should be regulated sensibly. 

===== Half a year of radio silence =====

In October 2021, the second commission had also given its approval. Then nothing happened for a few months. I was all the more eagerly awaiting the commission meeting from April 6 to 8, 2022. The official agenda only included "Further procedure". That could mean many things...

===== The media release =====

How the discussions in the commission went in detail is subject to commission secrecy. But in its media release it says that with 13 to 6 votes and 3 abstentions it was voted for the start of the work on the elaboration of a legal text. A sub-commission is now to tackle this work in concrete terms. However, it will take another commission meeting (probably in May or June, after the editorial deadline) to give the sub-commission a detailed mandate... The actual work would probably start after the summer vacations.

===== What does that mean in concrete terms? =====

Here we see how political work usually works (except in major crises): deliberately, step by step, everything takes time. So there is no defined time frame yet, nor do we know what exactly the work of the subcommission will be about.