Cannabis dreams drift away

Authorities in Switzerland are clamping down on cannabis
Swissinfo (Switzerland)
Tuesday, April 4, 2008

Following decades of rising cannabis use and talk of liberalisation, Switzerland had appeared poised to become the marijuana capital of Europe. The country still boasts some of the highest rates of cannabis use in Europe, but Switzerland's pot movement has taken a hit in the past few years: proposed liberalisation did not come to pass, enforcement has been on the rise and use among the country's youth has decreased. Enforcement varies widely from canton to canton, but cannabis remains an illegal narcotic throughout the country. Possession, use and distribution are punishable by up to three years in prison, and thousands of offences are recorded each year.