I think it should be available, it’s not a miracle cure, it won’t help everyone, but patients should have the opportunity to have it.”
When thinking of Swiss farming you would not expect to see rows of cannabis plants surrounded by high fences and electric gates but just an hour from the capital you can find just that at Markus Ludi’s farm.
Markus is a chemist and produces hundreds of plants a year to be used as tincture and oil. As Markus holds a special permit from the Swiss Federal Health Office he can produce plants with THC over 1% legally.
While possession of the drug has been decriminalised in Switzerland the cultivating or selling large quantities containing over the 1% THC is still against the law.
Markus cultivates 10% surplus in case of new patients being prescribed the treatment. However he cannot export the products to where the demand is and he fears that if the Swiss government do not act quickly that they will be missing an opportunity and the big market will be gone.
Although medical cannabis is available there is only one pharmacy that stocks it. There are strict rules surrounding the drug. Every patient must be prescribed it by a doctor, they then also must obtain a special permit from the Swiss Federal Health Office, and the pharmacist must have a permit for each prescription.
“I think it should be available, it’s not a miracle cure, it won’t help everyone, but patients should have the opportunity to have it.” Stated Pharmacist Daniela Eigenmann
Source BBC