Switzerland has officially opened the three-month public consultation period for its proposed national adult-use cannabis legalization model and will accept comments on the new draft of the Swiss ‘CanPG’ measure until December 1st.

The European nation’s National Council’s Social Security and Public Health Committee gave preliminary approval to an adult-use cannabis legalization plan by a 14-9 vote in February.

“Public health and youth protection must be placed at the heart of a renewed cannabis policy. Adults must be granted strictly regulated access to cannabis. In addition, to ensure that consumption is not encouraged, cannabis products must not be sold for profit and must be subject to an incentive tax. This is what is provided for in the draft drawn up by the National Council’s Social Security and Public Health Committee (CSSS-N).” the committee stated in a translated press release at the time.

The proposal then received further approval from Switzerland’s government in July, setting the stage for the opening of the public consultation period.

“The consultation is more than a formal step; it’s an opportunity to openly discuss opportunities and concerns. Only through a broad public debate can we create a cannabis law that ensures safety and acceptance in society,” said Elias Galantay, President of IG Hanf Schweiz (Swiss Hemp Industry Association), according to original reporting by krautinvest (translated from German to English).

If enacted, the current version of the draft proposal would include:

• Allowing adults to cultivate up to 3 cannabis plants in their private residences
• Setting a private adult possession limit at 75 grams
• Allowing member-based cultivation associations to operate
• Prohibiting advertising
• Permitting national adult-use cannabis sales, with Swiss Cantons retaining local control
• Taxing legal sales
• A heavy focus on boosting public health outcomes
• A ban on vertical integration
• Capping sales to ‘a total-THC content of five grams’
• Require seed-to-sale tracking
• Set hours of operation for retail locations and delivery services
• Limiting legal sales to Switzerland citizens

Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, but it does participate in the Schengen Zone. The Schengen Zone is a border-free area that allows for the free movement of goods, and Switzerland’s participation in it will influence the nation’s adult-use cannabis commerce framework. Switzerland’s heavy focus on enhancing public health outcomes and limiting cannabis industry profitability should help maintain compliance.

The push for national adult-use cannabis legalization in Switzerland builds on the success of the country’s multiple regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials, the first of which launched in 2023. Currently, Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, South Africa, and the Czech Republic have adopted national adult-use cannabis legalization measures. Czechia’s law goes into effect on January 1st, 2026.