Legalising Cannabis
What is the balance for regulating weed?
Slowly, the legalisation of cannabis is spreading to different parts of the world, from Canada to certain US states. Switzerland is set to be the next nation to legalise the drug - but not everyone is convinced.
In Switzerland, the sale and use of cannabis is set to be decriminalized, after a surprise parliamentary commission. Swiss hemp farmer Heinz Siegenthaler has been pushing for legalisation for years: 'You can have controls, taxes. I see a system like that which exists for alcohol'. Meanwhile, in Canada, cannabis has now been legalised for three years. The Quebec Cannabis Department is a state enterprise which controls everything from cannabis production to sales. Legalisation has proved to be lucrative: the department made 50 million in profits last year. 'Our mission is to migrate black market consumers to the legal market without promoting it to them. We estimate we have captured 53% of the black market'. Meanwhile, some professionals and right-leaning politicians are concerned about cannabis use amongst young people, as many studies suggest cannabis can disrupt development of a young brain. 'Under the age of 15, cannabis use is a disaster. Under 20, it's a catastrophe. Cannabis can bring about psychosis and acute mental illness for a few hours', explains Daniele Zullino, chief physician at Geneva University Hospital's addiction department.
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