Evidence-based cannabis policies

The authors of the Zurich study hope to provide real-world evidence to support policymaking efforts. The results could help draft regulations based on levels of cannabis usage that promote individual and public health and safety. Similar studies with universities are planned to roll out in the coming months. Those studies will run across Switzerland including in Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Geneva, Biel, Thun, Olten, and Winterthur.

France is also undergoing a trial program expected to be complete by March 2024, providing free medical marijuana treatment to 3,000 patients. The country currently only allows cannabis-derived medicines for medical purposes and has a strict approach to recreational use. The country’s policies have mellowed, though. In 2018, France passed new regulations that reduced the penalty for possession of marijuana to a fine of approximately 200 euros.

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