A federal bill allowing citizens to legally grow, buy, possess and consume cannabis has just been approved by the National Council’s Committee for Social Security and Public Health. Final score: 14 votes in favor, 9 against. The country is now the first in Europe to introduce a fully regulated cannabis market, with legalization expected as early as 2026.
Neither quite in the EU, nor quite out of it, Switzerland enjoys a unique freedom of maneuver to move forward where its neighbors are still hesitating.
On February 14, the commission adopted an initial text setting out the framework for legalization. The findings? 4% of 15-64 year-olds already consume cannabis in Switzerland, and all of it comes from the black market. Faced with this reality, the authorities are changing tack: prohibition makes no sense, so it’s better to regulate.
With this in mind, the commission is banking on a regulated market, but one that is highly supervised. The aim? To protect young people, reduce risks and cut the ground from under the illegal market.
Legal, but non troppo
Unlike Germany, which has removed cannabis from its list of narcotics, Switzerland would maintain its controlled substance status, but with a hybrid approach:
- For-profit production, but not-for-profit sales.
- The revenues generated will be reinvested in prevention, harm reduction and consumer support.
- No verticalization of the market: a single player can neither produce nor sell simultaneously.
- Progressive taxation based on THC levels and consumption habits.
- Tax revenues will be redistributed via health insurance.
- A state monopoly on sales: cannabis will only be available from a limited number of authorized sales outlets.
In terms of personal cultivation, each citizen will be able to grow three female plants, with a possession limit still under discussion. The cantons will have their say, with the possibility of adapting the regulations to their own taste.
And to avoid any drift, ultra-strict digital traceability, already tested on pilot projects thanks to dedicated software.
How?
Although Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it does belong to the Schengen area, which implies certain constraints on the free movement of goods. This complicates the equation for its neighbors, who are eyeing the Swiss model.
But according to Benjamin-Alexandre Jeanroy, cannabis policy expert at Augur, the Swiss experimentation is an asset: ” Pilot projects have provided invaluable data on the impact of a legal market. As a result, discussions on legalization are moving forward more quickly.
However, the unknown remains the international legal framework.
If Switzerland legalizes completely, it will have to justify its position to the world’s narcotics treaties.
Two possible strategies emerge:
- The Canada/Uruguay model: accept the contradiction and go for it.
- The Isle of Malta/Germany mode: subtly circumvented with an independent national model.
The country has already laid the foundations with its pilot projects, which require cannabis to be made in Switzerland. This will ensure solid local production, while leaving the door open to potential imports for specific uses.
With implementation scheduled for 2026, Switzerland could well become the first European country to make cannabis a legal, regulated business. A turning point that could inspire other nations ready to dust off their policies.
