- After having authorized the sale and consumption of flowers, extractions, foods, cosmetic products, veterinarians and other derivatives with high CBD content from 2017, Switzerland is among the pioneers to have positioned itself on This European market.
- Only 4 years later, in 2021, the Federal Helvetian Public Health Office announced the launch of a national pilot project campaign concerning the consumption of cannabis for recreational use for adults.
- A news welcomed as a real earthquake in an old Europe still well conservative …
AN INTERNATIONAL POLICY MORE SUITED TO CURRENT REALITY
In view of the international context gradually evolving towards the acceptance of cannabis for playful use for adults, in particular to UNITED STATES (from 2012) as in Canada (since 2018), the Swiss Certainly adopt new progressive and avant-garde measures in this area.
Although the law is not yet approved at the federal level on American soil, the domino effect is already well started and federal legalization is now only a story of time, with a possible deadline in the near future. On Canadian soil, high power close to uncle Sam, cannabis for use medical as recreational are now accessible throughout the territory.
Many countries located on the four corners of the globe are gradually knowing a more or less slow evolution of the same kind. Certain countries South America are also in the process of developing their sectors medicinal, as is the case with the Colombia (since 2015), Uruguay (since 2013), Mexico (since 2021), Chile (since 2014) and Peru (since 2017) for the moment, but which will certainly be followed by other surrounding countries and will also consider opening the recreational market probably short term.
In terms of European countries, it is still a little slow at start -up, but we are currently witnessing the foundations for the establishment of the sector of medical cannabis within the country of the European Union as the Portugal (since 2018), Spain, Germany (since 2017), the France (2021), the United Kingdom (since 2018), Italy (2020), the Lithuania, there Greece (2018) and Cyprus.
Many products containing CBD are now over the counter in Swiss (THC rate limited to 1 % maximum in flowers), At Luxembourg, in Belgium, in France, in Italy, in Spain, At United Kingdom, in Norway, in Finland, to The Netherlands, in Germany, in Austria, in Poland, in Lithuania, in Czech Republic, in Slovenia, in Macedonia, in Greece and in Türkiye.
In the same way on the African continent, South Africa legalized cannabis in the broad sense (recreational, therapeutic And CBD). Countries like the Zimbabwe and the Lesotho As for them, have chosen to authorize only medical cannabis on their soil. On the side of Asian continent, there South Korea, there Thailand and the Sri Lanka now allow the use of Therapeutic cannabis. Despite the lack of regulation on the CBD Until then within this continent, it would seem that the Malaysia and the Thailand seriously think about the authorization of this cannabinoid for purposes medical.
An evolutionary policy is also making its way in Oceania, because Australia as the New Zealand now allow cannabis therapeutic.
This observation of the general state of the various international political developments on cannabis in general, allows us to observe a certain progressive harmonization and positive in the matter. It would seem that as much use for medicinal purposes, as for well -being use (CBD) or even recreational, cannabis in the broad sense is gradually increasingly democratization within our society.
It still undergoes a very strong and often unjustified stigma, due to a large ignorance of the plant as well as a harmful interpretation of many historical and economic societal factors around it.
Although many government reluctance still persists, the virtues of cannabis are gradually recognized by the medical profession, but also by a large set of people who use it as an alternative medicine, in order to appease certain pathologies whose treatments traditional medical are still too ineffective.
Regarding recreational use, everything clearly shows us that festive cannabis can be compared to the consumption of alcohol in our society. By being fully objective, it would be enough to bring and establish a preventive policy, informative, educational and so constructive Socially speaking, in order to finally implant and develop this new industry in a global way.
It is obvious that this requires significant changes of different aspects of our society, but rather than being a problem, everything demonstrates that a policy in this sense would be more resolute in its entirety.
The Swiss State authorizes the production, sale, possession and use of CBD hemp containing less than 1% THC since 2017. The Swiss Confederation belongs to these states which wish to develop their regulation policy concerning drugs, And more specifically concerning CBD hemp like marijuana in general.
Which seems to be completely logical at the moment, because cannabis can be classified in the same category of drugs such as alcohol, because they both generate addictions to different degrees, even if their health effects in health at Man are different.
It is true that the subject of the legalization of hemp is a topical subject divisive around the world, however after so many years of relentlessness, France and therefore the French state should also look at a potential regulation of the Hemp CBD Like cannabis in a global way, because in passing, this country is concretely the largest consumer in Europe in this area.
Whether it concerns Switzerland or France, it seems rational to also think of education, prevention as well as the protection of young children within our society, because they are the adults of tomorrow. We must admit that Mrs. La Duchess may not be completely delighted, but the rest of the world will be …
Everyone has the right to think what they want, however it has come for the time to be objective and responsive on this subject, it is really necessary to develop the social rights of the entire population of our world, in order to to respect the individual freedoms of everyone, but also and above all in order to drastically reduce the crime associated with this, and therefore to eradicate a dominant black market, which leaves the only place to an underground economy with disastrous consequences for the entirety Of our society.
Today, the observation is final, the Last 50 years clearly shown us that the different models of prohibition such as the status quo are not effective solutions, because in addition to the solid reasons mentioned above, the lack of health controls On products, is a fundamental aspect concretely affecting the quality of the products, which also undermines the public health of users at the same time. The assessment is therefore literally negative at all levels …
AN OBJECTIVE AND MORE PRACTICAL HELVET VISION
It is certainly for all of these reasons that The Federal Office for Swiss Public Health recently said that following a Participatory survey subject to Swiss population about the Consumption of cannabis for recreational use for adults, 70 % of respondents support future cannabis controlled distribution pilot trials for recreational purposes. It may seem surprising and yet it is a reality. This survey was carried out from the end of January to early April 2021, with 3,166 people major and residents in Switzerland.
The initial objective of this survey was to assess The acceptance of the population at the cannabis distribution pilot tests as well as the measures expected by the latter in the case of a hypothetical global legalization. Their reasons in this sense are laudable and similar to those mentioned above above, that is to say that they highlight the limitation of the black market, global crime, thus promoting product quality control, Training, Education, prevention of risk behaviors Like the full -fledged establishment of such a sector within our society.
During this participatory survey, The OFSP says that a major consideration will be brought about the strict protection of young children as minors generally, to the prohibition of advertising as well as the high taxation of cannabis products, in order to guarantee a good evolution of the health aspect in the event of legalization.
I think it is relevant to mention here that as the authorities and the Swiss population show a certain pragmatism, by changing their societal model with a certain realism.
Although all this does not do the business of France, Switzerland takes its courage in both hands concerning the subject of hemp, because they simply realize that the opening as the regulation of such a legal market, will allow To significantly reduce many addictions, while protecting young people from the latter, which is therefore of major interest in public health, which will also start the development of a healthy economy at the same time. This seems to be a response adapted to the needs of their population in this sense, so we can only rejoice.
It is quite easy to perceive that the population of a country like France is clearly awaiting a modification of the law concerning the regulation of drugs at this level, and also to see their social rights if Expand for these things. It is true that the French Council of State suspended the part of the decree prohibiting the CBD hemp on January 24, 2022, which had been implemented discreetly on December 30, 2021. This is following the great disagreement and the protest of hemp and of The Union of French CBD professionals.
It is clear that in the neighboring country, the French state simply makes the ostrich on this vast subject of society, because even if the cultivation of the plant is for the moment strictly prohibited, has come the moment to offer a Another response to the population in matters of social rights on this point. Alcohol has been produced wreaking through France for many years, the latter is however supported by powerful lobbies across the country.
Whether for medical use, or rather well -being, or even recreational, whether it contains a variable concentration of CBD or THC, hemp also called Marijuana, should be authorized for use as wide as varied by whom it Wish, because it now has many benefits identified for the population. However, a national pilot project concerning the medical use of the plant is underway for a period of two years.
As perfectly says Adrian Gschwend, head of the section Political bases and execution of The OFSP : “The central idea is to find an intermediate solution between prohibition and total legalization. The Confederation Spending 120 million francs per year to enforce this ban, without however being able to have the consumption of cannabis stopped, continued Mr. Gschwend.
This prohibition has opened the door to a “dangerous” black market, which generates 582 million francs in turnover in Switzerland, he said, citing a still unpublished study of the University of Geneva ».
The Swiss authorities wish above all to check in the most realistic way possible, what would be the impact of certain stages of legalization and regulation concerning concretely the health, there security, as the socio-economic aspect And economic of this life -size experiment.
On Switzerland, cannabis is classified as a Amazing prohibited since 1951, with a formal ban on culture, production and marketing. From 1975, consumption is also objectionable.
These pilot trials should start at the end of the year and the first intermediate results will be returned to 2024, as Adrian Gschwend mentions. Will be able to participate in these pilot projects only adults who are already consumering cannabis, up to 5,000 maximum residents of the same canton.
These tests can be carried out by very varied entities, such as municipalities, cities or universities, for a maximum period of 5 years. They cover all aspects of the sector, ranging from culture to consumption, including production and conditioning.
The OFSP requires that distributed products cannot exceed A THC concentration greater than 20 % and must also respect the cultivation of organic farming. The OFSP Request at the same time that an annual activity report be carried out by the participants, in order to be able to inform the public as the government in place.
These pilot projects are authorized thanks to an experimental article which was inserted last fall by the Helvetian Parliament in the drug law. The relative order has been in force since March.
We hope that this experimental project will take place in the best possible way as a whole and that it will allow Switzerland and its inhabitants to evolve favorably on their global policies on cannabis. On the other hand, we hope with all my heart that the company Phytocann will succeed in actively participating in the heart of this experiment, thanks to their experience and their “Premium” know-how that we can already observe in the entire range of current products. Knowing that they use exclusively biological production methods, we wish them a most promising future.
