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Brief history of recent hemp cultivation in Switzerland and subsequent medico-legal problems resulting from hemp cultivation
by
Giroud C, Broillet A, Augsburger M,
Bernhard W, Rivier L, Mangin P
ABSTRACT
In March 1995, a decision about cultivation of cannabis
was issued by the Swiss Federal Offices of Public Health, Police and Agriculture
in order to satisfy the growing interest of farmers and other people in
hemp farming. It pointed out that 1)... each hemp plant contains THC and
must be therefore considered a drug, 2)... no permission is required for
those who grow hemp without the intention to produce drugs ... meaning that
the choice of the plant variety was not restricted to those which are characterized
by a low THC concentration and grown in a few countries belonging to the
European Union. Claiming that natural hemp must contain significant amounts
of THC and thanks to the Swiss legislation, areas dedicated to hemp cultivation
develop considerably. Most hemp plants which are submitted to our laboratories
by the police for THC quantification belong to the drug-type. Nowadays,
a great deal of goods (food and beverages, cosmetics, drugs) made of hemp
are marketed in Switzerland. Strong suspicions exist however that several
of these products could be used as a screen for the illegal market of cannabis.
For instance, despite financial support from the state, fiber hemp cultivation
remains unsuccessful. No advantage with regard to seed productivity, edible
seed and essential oils qualities and yields have been found for drug hemp
over fiber hemp by agricultural research stations up to now. Several clues
about the possible illicit use of hemp goods rich in THC, especially hemp
tea made of flower tops and "therapeutic" pillows filled with cannabis exist.
Recently, two Federal edits were issued in order to restrict the selling
of hemp seedlings and of hemp foods and beverages to those containing only
low amounts of THC. However, the marketing of hemp plants used for decorating
remains free partly explaining the recent success of these "beautiful" plants.
Broadly speaking, the Swiss and European legislations about hemp have approached
mutually during the last years.
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