A pilot trial on the legal sale of cannabis for recreational purposes will begin in the Swiss border town this autumn. The project has now been officially approved, reports Berliner Zeitung.

In autumn, a pilot project on the legal sale of cannabis for recreational purposes will start in the Swiss border city of Basel. However, only about 400 selected people will be allowed to take part in the project, as the health authority of Basel-Stadt reported. The Federal Office of Public Health has now approved the planned project, which is accompanied by science.
According to the health authorities, cannabis is the most consumed illegal substance in Switzerland. It is prohibited to grow, import, produce and sell cannabis. "Despite this prohibition, consumption is widespread and the black market is flourishing," writes the Federal Office of Public Health.
People who live in Basel and already consume cannabis regularly can apply to participate in the project. They are then allowed to buy various cannabis products such as dried cannabis flowers and hashish in some pharmacies. The aim is to test whether consumption behaviour changes when the narcotic can be bought legally. In addition, the participants will be regularly questioned about their physical and mental health. The project is to run for two and a half years. The participants are not allowed to buy cannabis and pass it on to others.