Switzerland moves towards easier access to medical cannabis

Last week, the Swiss National Council approved a proposal by the Federal Council to amend the Narcotics Law and facilitate patient access to medical cannabis. The amendment still has to be approved by the other legislative chamber, the Council of States, but no date has been set.

Last October, the Public Health Commission of the same National Council had approved this amendment to the Narcotics Law, following the initiative of a Federal Council proposal tabled last year.

If approved, the proposal would expand access to medical cannabis in Switzerland, as prescription patients would no longer require «exceptional authorization» from the country's Federal Office of Public Health. The final decision on a patient's access to medical cannabis would thus be taken by a doctor rather than a government representative.

Currently, the Bureau of Public Health authorizes approximately 3,000 patients per year to consume medical marijuana, authorizations are valid for one year.

Other proposals were rejected by the Swiss National Council:

• Allowing patients to grow cannabis at home
• Prohibiting smoking as a route of administration
• Require patients to carry their prescription with them to justify their patient status to the authorities in the event of an inspection.

The recent decision by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) to remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention could speed up the decision-making process on the Swiss side.