Our interest: THC

Information: The text is translated and corrected, so the most important information is accessible. However, you will still find some PDFs or links to purely German pages. We ask for your understanding. If you want to help us with the further cleanup, send us a mail.

Many people use THC containing products medicinally or recreationally. But hash and weed are still illegal. Therefore, THC users face a variety of problems. We, the Legalize it! association, help people who use THC products with legal questions. For this purpose we offer personal consultations and written information.

We follow the political development surrounding hemp in Switzerland and publish our evaluations of it. Ultimately, we want to achieve the complete legalization of hemp - even if the path there remains long.

Our main topics can be reached via the six headings in the navigation at the top of the page (or in the hamburger menu on your cell phone). The quick navigation leads to the respective sub-topics of a main topic (here to the latest news from our association, the prosecution and politics). Below you will find all current information from the Legalize it! association.

News

06.06.2023 – Magazine Legalize it! No. 98 is published & No. 97 is online

In these days our members receive the current number 98 of our magazine Legalize it! with the new Shit happens 15. The summer number contains a mix of topics: Legalization (book «Regulating Cannabis»), Legalize it! Social Club (pilot project), a first look at the 2022 prosecution figures and an update on the «Joint Index». We will make the full magazine available as a PDF in September.
Become a member to keep up to date (e.g. also via email) – you enable our activities and support the association. Legalize it!

We have also published another issue of our magazine Legalize it! as PDF. The Issue 97 is now available for download both as a whole and as individual articles in the politics and scene sections – the main part consists of the 2022 annual report. The current issue (#98) is still reserved for our members.

17.05.2023 – Hemparade on June 3 in Wetzikon

On Saturday, June 3, the Hemparade will take place at the Kulturfabrik Wetzikon.

Starting at 2 p.m., visitors can discover many things about hemp and its use: stalls with hemp products, a dab bar, glassblowers and presentations about hemp (e.g. also the one by Sven of the Association Legalize it!).

In addition, there will be food & drinks, accompanied by music as well as outdoor seating – and the best:
Admission is free!

We are already looking forward to an unforgettable day around the topic of hemp!

17.05.2023 – CannaTrade already over again

And already the CannaTrade is over again… We hope you were able to visit this year's fair – the official aftervideo is available on youtube.

The weather didn't really invite you to stay outside, but the lectures and panels were a good opportunity to find out what's going on in Switzerland at the moment – or unfortunately not yet… The videos will soon be available on the youtube channel of CannaTrade.

It was three days full of impressions and encounters – many thanks especially to Sonia and Sven for their commitment on stage!

20.04.2023 – Happy 420 and CannaTrade 2023

Happy 420! In three weeks the legendary Swiss hemp fair CannaTrade will begin!

From May 12 to 14 we will once again have the opportunity to explore and experience pretty much everything that has to do with hemp.

The fair will take place again this year (as in 2018 and 2019) in Hall 622 right next to the Zurich-Oerlikon train station - so it is extremely easy to reach by public transport.

In addition to the numerous booths of exhibitors from all over the world, there will again be a generous chill-out area under the open sky with a great culinary offer. In addition, a rich supporting program will take place again this year, covering many interests. At this point, the Joint Roll Contest and the CannaSwissCup should be mentioned – these are just two of many events, including lectures and panel discussions.
For example, Sven from the Association Legalize it! will first give a lecture on «THC&Law» on Saturday afternoon and then participate in a Discussion group. Afterwards Sonia will present the project “Legalize it! Social Club”(Hanfstübli) and take part in a Q&A session.

We are already looking forward to three unforgettable days around the topic of hemp!

22.03.2023 – City of Zurich pilot project has finally received definitive approval from the Federal Office of Public Health

Züri Can pilot project The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has given the green light for the start of the study of the City of Zurich pilot project.

The next step is to start the enrollment process.

More general information can be found on our pilot project page.

If you are interested in joining our Cannabis Social Club, you are welcome to join our waiting list!

08.03.2023 - Magazine Legalize it! No. 97 is published & No. 96 is online

In these days our members receive the current number 97 of our magazine Legalize it! The spring number contains – as it has for a long time – the annual report and conclusion of the past year. We will make the complete magazine available as PDF from June.
Become a member, so that you are always up to date (e.g. also by e-mail) – you enable our activities and support the Association. Legalize it!

We have also published another issue of our magazine Legalize it! pdfized. The Issue 96 is now available for download, both as a whole and as individual articles in the Justice, Culture and Scene sections. The current issue (#97) is still reserved for our members.

21.02.2023 - Association meeting 2023

Our AM took place at the end of January: We closed the year 2022 and confirmed the board for 2023. The annual accounts and the protocol will follow in the Legalize it! 97, which we will send to our members at the beginning of March.

01/14/2023 - Travelogue: Cannabis in Bangkok (Thailand 2022)

Shelves with bongs in the High Got You One of our members took a vacation in Bangkok (Thailand) in early December 2022 and reports on this experience in the Travelogue: Cannabis in Bangkok.

We hope you enjoy reading it!

05.12.2022 – Report EKSN

Another report in a long series: The Federal Commission on Addiction and Prevention of noncommunicable Diseases, like its predecessor commissions, has published a report on the handling of cannabis. In it, it lists experiences from states in the U.S., as well as Canada and Uruguay, in implementing legalizations. It proposes a restrictive, controlled path for Switzerland. So if you want to know what questions you need to be able to answer if you want to legalize, you should work your way through the 40 or so pages.

The texts can be found on this page (no english version available, except for the report “lessons learned”): Overview Info EKSN See under the titles media releases, statements and especially reports (“lessons learned”).

07.11.2022 – SRF Impact on Cannabis Legalization

Already at the end of October, the team of SRF Impact had released a contribution, which has the smoking of pot and the cannabis legalization in Switzerland as a topic. Our active member Nino also had his say: Full report on youtube [Swiss-German] Nino's part

22.09.2022 – New summary penalty orders / documents 2022

The discussions about legalization and regulation of the cannabis market are interesting and important. But we would like to point out once again: These are discussions. In force is the same sharp narcotics law as it has been for years. Police forces and public prosecutor's offices also apply it! We have again put some examples of repression online. Here you can find the first summary penalty orders and documents from 2022 we received. More will follow… If you or someone you know has received such documents, we are always interested in receiving a copy.

06.09.2022 - Cannabis in everyday life

For the research project “Cannabis in everyday life”, we are looking for study participants who are willing to provide information about their consumption practices. Although the use of cannabis is widespread and relatively established in Switzerland, often only problematic use is studied. However, the researchers at the University of St.Gallen are not only interested in problems, but also in consumption integrated into everyday life.

To register for participation, a questionnaire should be filled out in advance at: https://www.fragnach.ch/cannabisalltag. On the basis of the completed questionnaires, persons will be determined who will then be invited to an oral interview.

20.08.2022 - First cannabis pilot project starts in Basel-City

The first cannabis pilot project in Switzerland starts in Basel-City!

On weedcare-basel.ch there are numerous details.

Residents in the canton of Basel-Stadt can register there now to be able to legally buy cannabis in 9 Basel pharmacies in the next 2.5 years.

More details about cannabis pilot projects can be found on our pilot project page, and our map of all Swiss pilot projects can be found at hanflegal.ch/map.

28.06.2022 – Association member goes to court (continued)

We already reported on this case on February 6 – now the decision has been made: The High Court does not accept Nino's complaint for formal legal reasons. The reason for this is that a test case is being sought and therefore there is no legally protected interest.
Or to put it another way: The accused had only handed over his cannabis to the cantonal police so that he could file a complaint afterwards…

So, unfortunately, this project is already finished - Nino has published his detailed analysis as a YouTube video. Fortunately – mainly due to the media presence in February – contact could be established with other persons whose cases are still pending or these defendants have now decided to file an appeal on their part. We will report on this again.

08.04.2022 - The parliamentary initiative is one step further

Federal Palace “Regulation of the cannabis market for better youth and consumer protection”.

By 13 votes to 6 with 3 abstentions, the Commission for Social Security and Health decided to set up a sub-commission that will now tackle this work in concrete terms(media release).

However, there is no concrete time frame yet, and it is also not known what exactly the work of the sub-commission will be about. The next few months will bring more clarity. Nevertheless, on a political level, it is one of the most concrete attempts to make the handling of cannabis a bit more liberal.

For more information, see News → Parliamentary Initiative.

04/02/2022 - Legalization: possibilities and a beautiful variant

Bundeshaus We are asked the question again and again: When will cannabis become legal in Switzerland? This question is usually only aimed at the time dimension (yes, it will still take some time).

But what exactly does “legal” actually mean? As soon as cannabis is not completely forbidden, as soon as there is a permitted use, one can speak of “legal”. But what does this legal use look like in practice, and what areas does it cover? For example, are only farmers allowed to cultivate cannabis with a special permit, or are private individuals also allowed to do so? And are private individuals allowed to sell their harvest to friends? Or where is it allowed to consume? Only in private, or also in public?

There are many such questions of detail, and all can be regulated from liberal to restrictive. So before legalization can take place, society must agree on how to regulate the various issues.

On hanflegal.ch/legalization we present on some new pages first the bandwidths of the regulation possibilities as well as a concrete beautiful variant of legalization. We are happy to receive feedback.

27.03.2022 - Cannabis Social Club Permit 1 of 2 received!

Good news: The city of Zurich has given us the provisional permit – so our Cannabis Social Club will be one of 10 in the city 🎉

The next step is for the city's pilot project (including dispensaries, DIZ and social clubs) to be approved by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the Ethics Committee.

More general info can be found on our pilot project page.

If you are interested in joining our Cannabis Social Club, feel free to sign up on our waiting list!

06.02.2022 – Association member goes to court

Nino, a longtime association member, is challenging the seizure of a minor amount of cannabis for personal consumption: Article on watson.ch.

Furthermore, Nino has published a long video about it, in which he explains his action. We support this action and hope that this will lead to a change in practice and thus finally create more legal certainty.

08.09.2021 – Shipping Shit happens 14 & Update Wiki

Over the summer, we updated our legal aid brochure Shit happens and made some clarifications here and there. Now the 14th edition has been published and our members have received it via fall mailing.

The brochure is also available as a PDF in our wiki: Shit happens, Edition 14, Summer 2021. In addition, we have updated the THC&Law section of our wiki according to the changes in the brochure.

06.01.2021 – Hemp no longer in the catalog of varieties and report on THC in the blood and driving.

Since 2021 hemp is no longer listed in the variety catalog and thus all hemp varieties that remain below 1% THC can be freely distributed. More information can be found at the Federal Office for Agriculture.

An interesting report from the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the University of Basel on the subject of THC in the blood and driving ability/ability to drive. However, we would like to point out: This is a discussion paper and not yet implemented in current law!

Fact sheet THC limits (short version), report THC limits (45 pages).

You can find the archive of all contributions in the section Association.