Shortly

• The IG Hanf is firmly of the opinion that the Swiss industry must be protected from cheap foreign cannabis.
• Especially when developing a new market, import restrictions analogous to the pilot projects are indispensable.
• Imports should only be considered in situations of shortages.

protection of local businesses

The IG Hanf is firmly of the opinion that the regulation of cannabis in Switzerland should give preferential treatment to producers of Swiss cannabis and cannabis products. In particular, local agricultural companies and manufacturers can benefit from the economic opportunities of a regulated cannabis market. This requires a clear strategy to protect the local market from negative influences from cheap imports.

Even though the trade in non-medical cannabis is not yet permitted, the IG Hanf is calling for the local industry to be strengthened in good time. An import restriction that restricts imports exclusively to bottleneck situations From the IG Hanf's point of view, this is essential, especially at the beginning of the market development under the new regulation. Imports should – where permitted under international law – only be made for specific, temporary needsthat cannot be covered by Swiss production. This could be the case, for example, if demand in Switzerland exceeds supply in the short term.

It is also important that, in the long term, imports should only be allowed to take place according to clearly defined rules. In order to control the market and protect domestic production, if cannabis imports are legalized, similar regulations could be applied as for agricultural products.

Since propagation material (seeds and cuttings) not fall within the scope of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (EHÜ) fall, These should be able to be imported without restrictions.

Why local businesses need to be protected

A look at the medical cannabis market shows how important this protection is: The majority of medical cannabis sold in Switzerland today comes from abroad. This is because production costs abroad are significantly lower, which leads to a strong market displacement of Swiss producers. Similar trends can be seen with CBD products and other cannabinoid-containing products.

In order to build a functioning domestic market, it is essential that Swiss producers have the necessary Develop know-how for different applications and forms of consumption and can produce safe products in Switzerland.

Imports from countries where cannabis can be produced very cheaply due to low wage and infrastructure costs, endanger the competitiveness of Swiss producers. This could lead to job losses, especially in the agricultural sector. Agriculture, which is increasingly specialising in the cultivation of cannabis, would lose an important future market.

Without measures to protect local businesses, valuable economic and social potential of the Swiss cannabis industry could remain untapped. Regulating cannabis that ignores import restrictions is a missed opportunity for Swiss producers.