Cannabis Pilot Trials

This bill established a legal basis for conducting pilot scientific trials of cannabis, limited in location, time, and scope, to gain knowledge about the effects of regulated use of cannabis for nonmedical purposes.

The ordinance on cannabis pilot trials came into force in mid-May. Applications for pilot trials can now be submitted to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). Concrete trial projects will probably start in 2022.

The City of Zurich published details of the Zurich Cannabis Study at https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/cannabisprojekt on September 14. We are currently preparing an application for a Cannabis Social Club in the city of Zurich. The city will submit all applications collectively to the FOPH in the 1st quarter of 2022. The project can then start in autumn 2022 at the earliest.

Currently, it is assumed that the cities of Bern (with partner cities), Basel, Geneva, Zurich (with partner city), St. Gallen and Lausanne will submit an application.

• A pilot project for cannabis social clubs?
• Winter 20/21: Cannabis pilot trials ahead of implementation
• Tagesanzeiger of 18 January 2021: weed will soon be sold legally in the city of Zurich
• Watson of 31 March 2021: Federal Council approves cannabis pilot trials from May
• Here you will find the history of the completed parliamentary deliberations: Business 19.021 on parlament.ch
• Further links and documents are also available on the Overview from the BAG to be found
• «Einstellung Legalisierung und Regulierung Cannabis» by Sotomo on behalf of the BAG

Since 2005, there have been many discussions whether experimental projects with actually prohibited hemp (1 % THC and more) should and could be carried out. Now the parliamentary consultations on this have been concluded in September 2020.

You can find our articles on the amendment of the NarcA from the last years here.