Lausanne to launch its cannabis distribution pilot project in late 2022

The city of Lausanne announced on Tuesday, May 10, that it will launch its pilot project for the legal sale of cannabis by the end of 2022. The goal is to study the impact of a nonprofit sales model on consumption, as well as on health and safety.

«In Lausanne, as in other cities, cannabis is very prevalent. It is estimated that 6,500 people used cannabis last month and 1,500 use it daily,» Emilie Moeschler, the city councilor in charge of sports and social cohesion, told the press on Tuesday.

«It is essential for cities to launch such pilot studies in order to address the issue objectively and calmly,» added the Socialist city councilwoman. As early as 2016, Lausanne had expressed interest for a pilot program to develop its policy in this area.

The city has chosen the Addiction Suisse competence center as its partner; it will oversee the scientific aspect of the project. The trial is scheduled to last four and a half years. Oversight of cannabis sales will be entrusted to a new nonprofit organization called Cann-L, which stands for »Cannabis Lausanne—The Responsible Alternative to Illegal Cannabis.».

Retail location in downtown Lausanne

The cannabis distributed as part of the pilot project will come from local, organic crops. Adult participants in the trial will be able to purchase it at a specialized retail location in the city center. The location will not be a medical facility, unlike in German-speaking Switzerland, where pharmacies are preferred, Emilie Moeschler explained.

In late May, the project is expected to be submitted to the cantonal ethics committee and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) for review.

In mid-April, the FOPH had gave the city of Basel the green light for the first pilot project of its kind. The Basel project will begin in late summer with nearly 400 participants. As part of the study, they will be able to purchase various cannabis-based products, such as dried cannabis flowers and hashish, at certain pharmacies in Basel.