Switzerland Greenlights First Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in a Milestone for European Policy

LOS ANGELES— In a landmark move that signifies a significant departure from traditional European cannabis policies, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health has given its nod to the establishment of the continent’s first legal adult-use cannabis dispensaries.

This progressive venture, dubbed the “Grashaus Projects” pilot study, is set to kick off in Basel-Landschaft later this year. Its chief objective is to discern the ramifications of sanctioned cannabis access. The Germany-centric Sanity Group, in collaboration with the Swiss Institute for Addiction and Health Research (ISGF), has garnered the requisite permissions to move forward, fortifying the endorsement they received from the Ethics Committee Northwest and Central Switzerland in the preceding year.

Central to this study is the observation of consumption habits and the overall health of an estimated 3,950 adults in Basel-Landschaft. Entrance into the program necessitates passing medical aptitude evaluations and partaking in a preliminary online questionnaire. Once inducted, participants are permitted to lawfully purchase cannabis via a designated participation card at specified locales.

All cannabis products for this initiative will originate from SwissExtract, a native cultivator. The pricing bracket for cannabis blooms is anticipated to oscillate between 8 and 12 CHF, contingent on THC concentrations. “Our unwavering commitment is to provide top-tier products consistently, forming a robust foundation for an authentic scientific exploration. We prioritize organic standards, Swiss roots, and utmost transparency,” remarked Stefan Strasser, the Chief Executive Officer at SwissExtract.

Bucking the conventional dispensary framework often seen in pharmacies or clubs, the Sanity Group has unveiled plans to inaugurate outlets in Allschwil and Liestal. Concurrently, as per details from Global Cannabis Times in May, the Swiss University of Bern’s SCRIPT project is poised for a fall launch. This distinct research, orchestrated in partnership with the University of Lucerne and urban centers such as Bern, Biel, and Lucerne, intends to scrutinize the health and societal repercussions of regulated cannabis trade via non-profit pharmacies, accentuating risk aversion and user enlightenment.

The “Grashaus Projects” initiative is earmarked to commence in the concluding quarter of 2023 and is projected to span a comprehensive five-year duration.