The risks and consequences of "synthetic cannabis"

Only a regulated market can guarantee the health protection of consumers.

The Hemp Interest Group (IG Hanf) considers the illegal enrichment of legal CBD hemp with illegal substances like chemically produced cannabinoids to be dangerous and unacceptable. Only regulated cultivation and sale of legal cannabis products can ensure consumer protection.

The illegal cannabis trade in Switzerland was directly affected by measures to fight the corona crisis, which led to a shortage on the black market. As a result, much more adulterated and artificially produced cannabis was sold. It's important to note that these synthetic products can't be compared to natural hemp. Because of the high amount of artificial THC and its instability, the health risks for consumers are unpredictable and quite high.

The IG Hanf association strongly condemns this development and the illegal methods of enriching CBD hemp with synthetic substances, and distances itself from them.

Natural products for a clean business

The members of IG Hanf are committed to a legal, transparent, and professional trade. Claims in some media reports that Swiss CBD and hemp producers are behind the illegal practice of adding synthetic substances to natural hemp are completely unfounded and show a lack of knowledge.

IG Hanf emphasizes that it's not the legal Swiss CBD producers who are responsible for this mess, but criminal organizations that control the illegal trade in THC hemp. The fact that legally purchased hemp flowers in Switzerland are used as a base for illegal cannabis products is really annoying, but unfortunately can't be prevented. The root problem is the legal framework for hemp trade in Switzerland and the resulting black market for these products.

The result of years of repression and prohibition

For years, Switzerland, like many other countries, has tried hard to ban cannabis use. According to a recent analysis by the Swiss Federal Commission for Addiction Issues (EKFS), this strategy has been declared a failure.

The current legal situation in Switzerland regarding narcotics is clearly focused on abstinence and prohibition. Still, around 600,000 people in Switzerland regularly use cannabis. A significant part of that is products with a THC content above the legal limit.

As long as regulated and controlled distribution isn't allowed, patients and consumers still have to turn to the black market. This illegal market for cannabis products with higher THC means there's no requirement for analysis and labeling like there is for other products such as cheese, chocolate, tobacco, or alcohol. This goes against consumer protection. So, consumers can't tell if they're getting a clean or adulterated product, and they're at the mercy of the seller. This can have serious health consequences if, for example, a product is contaminated with synthetic cannabinoids, pesticides, bacteria, or other toxins.

Based on this, IG Hanf advocates for the legalization of hemp products while protecting minors and the health of consumers and patients. The pilot projects in Switzerland for regulated distribution of hemp products are a first step in the right direction. The Swiss association for cannabis products supports this positive development and actively works with federal authorities.

Source: Mange, L. (2020). IG Hanf's perspective on various media reports about "synthetic cannabis".