The Federal Commission for Questions on Addiction and Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases (EKSN) welcomes the lifting of prohibition and the introduction of regulation of cannabis. This was stated in a press release on Thursday. The Committee of Experts advises the Federal Council and the Federal Government on issues related to these themes.
The EKSN justifies its position with the fact that the consumption of the population cannot be reduced with a ban on cannabis. In addition, the black market is flourishing, which means that consumer safety is not guaranteed.
Cannabis must be controlled
At present, cannabis prohibition is practically non-compliant: consumption remains consistently high and cannabis is produced on a large scale in Switzerland. Moreover, criminal organizations would enrich themselves with the illegal income from the sale and would not pay any taxes on it.
Another problem, according to EKSN, is the lack of quality control: illegal products contain different and often high THC levels and contain molds and pesticides. That is why the Commission advocates controlled products that can be purchased legally under regulated conditions. However, as with tobacco or alcohol, access to cannabis products should be restricted to adults only. Prevention would be easier for all target groups if cannabis were legally accessible.
Do not encourage the use of cannabis
The EKSN criticizes models of limited access, such as the decriminalization of consumption or the levying of the health system. These are insufficient and are not an alternative to the black market. Access to controlled cannabis would thus be questioned. Moreover, this creates gray areas and uncertainties, making effective regulation more difficult.
While EKSN is committed to legal access to cannabis, it does not encourage its use. The acquisition must be made exclusively through non-profit sales models. According to the Commission, advertising, low prices or special offers would stimulate consumption. (bgs)