Switzerland Greenlights Pilot Test on Recreational Cannabis Sales

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Swiss health authority gave on Tuesday approved a pilot project that will allow the purchase of cannabis at select drugstores in Basel as the country considers easing limits on the recreational use of the herbal drug.

"The Federal Office of Public Health has authorized the first pilot test on controlled distribution of non-medical cannabis… Its results will inform future cannabis legislation," the health authority said in a statement.

Only 400 cannabis users over 18 will be eligible, and their health and consumption habits will be closely monitored. Anyone who tries to pass on "test cannabis" will be kicked out of the experiment.

Swiss laws forbid production, import and sale of cannabis that contains more than 1% of THC, but the authority said that a black market for cannabis was growing and the majority of those polled were in favor of legislative changes.

The test is expected to give legislators wider understanding of "alternative forms of regulation" and serve as a basis for future scientific-based legislation that would have the support of the Swiss, the public health office said.