Cannabis remains the most used illicit drug on the planet, with an estimated 219 million adults consuming it in 2023.
A fresh report from Switzerland now suggests that giving existing users a safe, legal supply may trim the edge off risky habits rather than encourage them. The findings come from the six‑month Weed Care randomized trial run in Basel.
Dr. Lavinia Baltes‑Flückiger, deputy head of the study at Psychiatric Services Aargau, helped steer the project alongside colleagues from the University of Basel and local health agencies.
Taking cannabis into pharmacies
Switzerland still bans recreational sales of cannabis nationwide.
Basel, however, received a federal waiver on January 30, 2023, allowing 189 adult volunteers to buy measured, contaminant‑free flower or hash in nine pharmacies, while a matched control group kept using street sources.
The design mirrors real‑world retail but strips out slick marketing, price wars, and high‑potency gimmicks that dominate some commercial markets.
Investigators registered every legal purchase and offered brief counseling at the counter. Keeping over‑the‑counter talk focused on lower‑risk use also echoes Canada’s public‑health model.
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