Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Cannabis products sold in Lidl Switzerland

A packet of hemp flowers
The hemp flowers grown by Thurgau company The Botanicals obs/LIDL Schweiz

Hemp containing active ingredient cannabidiol (CBD) can now be bought in Swiss branches of German discount supermarket chain Lidl. 

Start-up company The BotanicalsExternal link, from Thurgau in northeastern Switzerland, will be supplying LidlExternal link with pure hemp flowers grown exclusively in Switzerland in partially automated greenhouses and specially designed indoor facilities. 

+ An in-depth look at how medicinal cannabis made a comeback

They say they support sustainable agriculture and are totally renouncing the use of chemical, synthetic or genetically modified substances. To guarantee the best possible hemp, it is obtained according to the Good Agricultural and Collection PracticeExternal link guidelines of the European Medicines Agency. 

The hemp flowers, which are produced as a tobacco replacement intended to be used in roll-up cigarettes, are available in Lidl stores in French and German-speaking Switzerland. A 1.5-gram packet costs CHF17.99 ($18.60). 

Caution 

Health and addiction experts are less enthusiastic about the normalisation of a product whose effects remain relatively unknown. 

Addiction Suisse, a foundation battling problems of addictive substances, said last year that “caution remains the watchword.” It pointed out it was particularly important to avoid CBD ingestion during pregnancy, because the protective function of the placenta could be modified. 

While the Federal Office of Public Health recognised the potentially useful therapeutic effects of the “drug” – anti-oxidising, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsive – it pointed out that “its medicinal effect is for now not clearly ascertained by research”.

More


News

The hall of EPFL’s architecture building in Lausanne is currently occupied by around 50 Pro-Palestinian protesters.

More

Students at EPFL in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave

This content was published on Pro-Palestinian activists occupied a building at the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) on Tuesday, mirroring a peaceful demonstration at the nearby University of Lausanne (UNIL).

Read more: Students at EPFL in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
Boulevard Carl-Vogt in Geneva.

More

Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials

This content was published on The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.

Read more: Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
a doctor retrieves an egg with help from an ultrasound scan and a needle inserted into a woman who is laying on her back with legs held open. nurses assist in the background.

More

Swiss are open to assisted reproduction

This content was published on A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.

Read more: Swiss are open to assisted reproduction

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR