Thursday 17 November 2011

Swiss cannabis smokers to be allowed to grow four marijuana plants each (to stop them buying drugs illegally) | Mail Online

Swiss cannabis smokers will be allowed to grow four marijuana plants each (to stop them buying drugs illegally)

By Ian Sparks

Last updated at 2:07 AM on 17th November 2011

Cannabis smokers in Switzerland will soon be allowed to grow up to four marijuana plants each at home to stop them buying drugs on the black market.

In a bizarre twist to the new law, four people sharing a house can grow up to 16 plants - but only if each person tends to their own crop.

The deregulation of Switzerland's already lax cannabis laws has been agreed by four neighbouring regions in the French-speaking part of the Alpine country.

Alpine oddity: Drug users will be able to grow up to four cannabis plants each in four regions of Switzerland, including the beautiful Neuchatel (pictured)

Alpine oddity: Drug users will be able to grow up to four cannabis plants each in four regions of Switzerland, including the beautiful Neuchatel (pictured)

A spokesman for the Neuchatel region said: 'We have agreed these new rules to prevent drugs tourism between regions where the rules are different, and to stop them buying it on the streets.

'But one person can not start growing more than four plants just by claiming they live with other people.

'In this case, these other people have to actually be cultivating the plants themselves.

Strange strategy: Four people sharing a house will be able to grow 16 plants between them, providing each can prove they are cultivating their own crop

Strange strategy: Four people sharing a house will be able to grow 16 plants between them, providing each can prove they are cultivating their own crop

'This means attending to the plant in such a way as to make it grow.'

Swiss daily Le Matin quipped: 'This basically means that you can grow four more plants for every housemate you have - just as long as they know how to hold a watering can.'

The rules will apply in the cantons of Vaud, Neuchatel, Geneva and Fribourg from January 1 next year.

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This will be a resounding success. But even though it gets rid of dealers by making cannabis common and inexpensive, doesn't mean that other govts. will follow the same path. There's too much money in the prison industrial complex and many govt. jobs depend on prohibition.

- Kevin, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 17/11/2011 09:50

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Ever get the feeling broken Britain is living in the dark ages. If you get caught growing just one plant in the UK they come down on you like a ton of bricks. Send the police to smash up your property. Charge you with production so they can steal everything you've worked your life for. Still nice easy way to keep the crime sheets looking good and the prisons full of non violent offenders. Well done Switzerland. Another blow to the "war on drugs" or as those that know say. "The war on users of some drugs"

- arnie wellah, london, 17/11/2011 09:41

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We can only hope this kind of intelligent evidence base policy wings its way over here, our own politicians would do well to take heed of the swiss goverment before we are the last country to make such changes, furthering our economic dissadvantage in an already competitive age! Either that or I'm gonna pack up my family and move, after all skiing on your doorstep and an intelligent goverment, I'm all for that rather than our own hypocrisy currently defended by bent politicians with their own "Vested Interests"...

- Doobied2Death, Runcorn, England, 17/11/2011 09:39

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What a GOOD IDEA.... Switzerland, Switzerland.... Banks peoples stuff .... ARMED its CITIZENS... Votes by REFERENDUM.... NOT an EU MEMBER... DOESN'T take part in WESTERN MILITARY IMPERIALISM.... and NOW LEGALISED POT... SWITZERLAND is a MODEL, Citizen powered free(ish) MODERN-THINKING STATE - UK's ANTITHESIS...

- PrivateSi, WORCS, 17/11/2011 09:39

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It's 12 plants for your own consumption in Canada thats 15 Lbs of hi grade BC bud in 100 days!!

- Tracy Leanne Edwards, Whitstable, 17/11/2011 09:16

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There are some politicians in the world with common sense - must have our share there because there certainly is NOT one politician in our country who has this - only their best interests at heart - there's an idea, THEY could grow this and sell it !! Well done Switzerland who also have the sense NOT to be in the EU and have referendums on any policies they want voices on.

- disillusioned, somerset, 17/11/2011 09:16

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