The cities of Biel, Bern and Lucerne have opened registrations for their pilot project for the sale of regulated cannabis, the University of Bern announced yesterday, November 22. As the emphasis is on security aspects, the names of participating pharmacies will not be published.
There, study participants will be able to purchase various cannabis products, including flowers, hash and oil with different levels of THC and CBD, at selected pharmacies starting in February 2024.
Limited number of participants
In total, the pilot project will have a thousand participants in the 3 municipalities, including around 700 for Bern and 170 for Bienne.
The University of Bern, which is leading the project under the name “Script”, for Safer Cannabis – Research In Pharmacies randomized controlled trialindicates that feedback from other ongoing pilot studies suggests that demand could exceed available places.
In this case, people living in the cities of Bern and Biel will have priority.
Priority to health and neutrality
Like other studies already in place, the main objective is to examine the health and social effects of the regulated sale of cannabis. Led by the University of Bern, it emphasizes that product advertising is not permitted and that products must be packaged in a neutral and standardized way.
Participation in the study is open to adults living in the canton of Bern and already regularly consuming cannabis. The city of Lucerne plans to register the project in 2024 with around 250 participants.
Previously, experiments had been approved in Lausanne, Basel, Zurich and Geneva. In Basel, the sale of Swiss-grown cannabis for experience began, and in Zurich in August. In Lausanne, recording has started and Geneva is expected to follow in December.
