Several years ago, the Federal Office of Public Health estimated that over 100,000 seriously ill people were illegally self-medicating with cannabis. (A similar number of seniors are now also using over-the-counter CBD drops for better sleep, appetite, and various age-related ailments.).

MEDCAN was founded in 2014 as a non-profit Association by those affected, with the aim of giving a face to this anonymous mass and improving their situation. The environment was harsh. Those affected operated illegally and had to rely on the black market. Although a special permit for the use of a few approved medications could be applied for from the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG), doctors shied away from the immense effort involved.

MEDCAN began holding monthly patient meetings in Zurich, Bern, and Basel, where those affected could exchange information and network in a confidential setting. It wasn't easy to gather portraits and patient stories; the atmosphere was dominated by fear.

The first demand was that all those affected should have unimpeded access to medical cannabis of tested quality at affordable prices and be able to consume it without restrictions, without punishment or stress.

Today, a good year and a half after the amendment to the Narcotics Act (effective August 1, 2022) and several years after the initial CBD boom, the environment is considerably more favorable. The destigmatization of cannabis has taken place in broader circles. Patients can access medical cannabis of tested quality at reasonably affordable prices through a doctor's prescription and can use it without facing legal repercussions.

MEDCAN estimates, however, that so far barely 1,000 people across Switzerland have received a prescription, and of these, very few have had the costs covered by their insurance. Many simply cannot afford the medication from the pharmacy.

Until all of the more than 99,000 affected individuals can forgo the black market or illegal home cultivation and are no longer simply dismissed as stoners, much more education and awareness work is needed in all directions. MEDCAN, as a representative of the patients, continues to meet this challenge. 

MEDCAN looks back with pride on its achievements, is now well-established, and enjoys national and international recognition and a strong network. However, resources remain scarce, as the work is carried out voluntarily by a small number of affected individuals.

To mark its tenth anniversary, MEDCAN tells its story in a multi-part series, which will be published in upcoming newsletters.

Looking to the future, MEDCAN hopes that a rapid shift in public opinion and broader awareness will lead to easier access to medical prescriptions for all those affected, with insurance companies covering the costs. Furthermore, they hope for greater legal certainty in everyday life, such as in traffic law and social security law.

The 70s and 80s

Without the late Bruno, there would be no MEDCAN. And without hundreds of thousands of illegal cannabis users, medical cannabis would not even be a topic of discussion today.

Bruno was a cannabis rebel his entire life. He left home early and lived a life of his own making. As early as the seventies, he would sit on the Riviera near Bellevue or stand at the Brüggli bridge near Platzspitz selling hashish. Other drugs or alcohol were out of the question for him.

Later, he traveled to Andalusia and Morocco himself to procure the goods and bring them to Zurich at great risk. He once spent some time in prison in Spain. The sound of adhesive tape proved to be his undoing while he was packing the goods.

He crossed the borders with two vehicles each time. In front was a highly suspicious hippie Citroën 2CV, which immediately attracted the utmost attention from the border guards; right behind it was a respectable Jaguar sedan with a sensitive cargo, which was waved through without any fuss.

"Grass" with a high THC content was unknown back then. The cannabis plant was no longer in demand as a source of fiber. The medicinal value of the cannabis plant had been forgotten by the public since the advent of aspirin and American smear campaigns. Smoking "bird hemp" (made from birdseed) was something for old farmers and young beginners (roughly equivalent to today's CBD).

Hashish was brought and spread by hippies from India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Morocco since the 1960s. 

A research project at ETH Zurich on crossbreeding Cannabis sativa and indica helped some insiders obtain more potent strains for illegal home cultivation. Furthermore, such strains were increasingly developed and marketed by Californian and Dutch companies.

The 90s

In the 1990s, a real boom occurred in Switzerland. Cannabis is ideally suited for crop rotation among organic farmers. Newly developed varieties were crossbred, and entire fields were planted with it. This was a gray area. Cultivation wasn't prohibited for farmers at the time; only trade for smoking purposes and consumption were.

You could buy fresh plants directly from the field, after signing a form stating that you wouldn't smoke them. Shortly after leaving, you were usually stopped and checked by the police. If you didn't do or say anything stupid and they didn't find any torn cardboard boxes or joint butts as evidence of drug use, you could continue on your way without further ado.

In the cities, "scented flower sachet shops" sprang up like mushrooms. The dried flowers were sewn into small fabric bags to hang in the wardrobe or place under the pillow. 

Clever Bruno was right there on the front lines. He quickly rented a barbershop behind the main train station and sold the sachets in huge quantities. Confident that he was doing something legal, he also put each sachet into the cash register and paid his taxes. 

However, he could never give up illegal activities: He also ran several rooms where he cultivated indoor plants with high THC content. 

In typical Bruno fashion, he also opened his own legal "growshop" – James Blunt – to get the necessary equipment more cheaply and to network further.

Business was booming. Many of the sachet shops sprang up right on the borders. There, people flocked from neighboring countries to stock up. Pressure from the EU on Switzerland to curb this gray area increased. Domestically, there was also some movement.

Although the popular initiative "Youth without Drugs" was clearly rejected in 1997 with 29.3% of the vote, the popular initiative "for a sensible drug policy" was then rejected just as clearly in November 1998 with 26.0% of the vote.

In the run-up to this vote, which initially received great support, there was fierce political opposition and consequently restrictive measures were taken against the uncontrolled growth.

Done fun

Bruno was indicted in June 1998 and convicted the following October. He received a 14-month suspended sentence, a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs  , and was ordered to forfeit 100,000 Swiss francs of his profits. 

Prosecutors argued that no one would pay 50 francs for a sachet just to put lavender between their socks or take a quick sniff. They claimed it was merely a way to circumvent narcotics laws. The stickers – "not for smoking" – do not absolve him of responsibility. A similar trial was taking place simultaneously in the canton of Bern.

This had a nationwide impact in Switzerland. Repression was once again the order of the day. Fields and shops disappeared from the landscape within a short time. 

Late 1990s to 2013

Bruno refused to be defeated and retreated further into illegality. He intensified his indoor cultivation and trade. The demand among young people for strains with high THC content was immense.

In addition to the grow shop, Bruno opened a Moroccan café, firmly convinced that he would soon be running the first coffeeshop modeled after the Dutch style. He believed legalization was imminent.

His dream was nipped in the bud during the official inspection of the restaurant. They would be conducting more frequent inspections, and if they found even the slightest irregularity, the café would be shut down immediately. 

The café was a crowd-pleaser from the start and enjoyed great success. A few years later, Bruno closed the grow shop to expand the restaurant. The police occasionally stopped by to make sure nothing illegal was going on. But Bruno kept two sets of keys in different locations. And the cash registers were strictly separate. No money laundering to be found.

At the same time, he experienced increasing pain in the muscles of his extremities. In 2006, he was diagnosed with a rare degenerative autoimmune disease, which would ultimately lead to his death in November 2015. He became increasingly immobile and dependent on care. This was accompanied by a growing irritability, coupled with a tendency towards hyperactivity.

Swiss politics

Meanwhile, politically, the issue continued to spin in circles. Sometimes forward, then backward, then at a standstill again. Until today.

In 1999, the Federal Commission for Drug Issues (EKDF) published a report. In this "Cannabis Report," the EKDF called for a revision of the Narcotics Act and recommended the legalization of the consumption, trade, and cultivation of cannabis. On March 9, 2001, the Federal Council adopted its message for the revision of the Narcotics Act, which followed the EKDF's recommendations. The Council of States was the first chamber to vote on the revision. In 2003, the National Council rejected the proposal, whereupon the Council of States again voted in favor of the revision. In June 2004, the National Council decided not to proceed, which meant the failure of the revision. The Federal Council justified this rejection with the controversial nature of the cannabis issue. 

Once again, the issue was shelved for political reasons.

In 2008, Switzerland again voted on a popular initiative – for a sensible cannabis policy with effective youth protection. The non-partisan initiative committee, Pro Youth Protection – Against Drug Crime, argued that the initiative would create a system that would end "legal arbitrariness" and enable preventative action and early intervention. The committee also believed that the cannabis prohibition was unnecessary and pumped billions into the illegal market annually. 

It was clearly rejected by the people and all cantons. The Federal Council also argued that a UN convention left Switzerland, as a small country, with no room for maneuver.

At least doctors were now able to prescribe some cannabis-based preparations to seriously ill patients with special permission from the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG). However, the procedure was extremely complex and therefore unpopular. 

International

Meanwhile, things were changing abroad. California regulated the use of medical cannabis as early as 1996. Other US states followed suit, some even legalizing recreational cannabis. At the federal level, however, the US maintains a total ban to this day. 

Medical cannabis gradually became a topic worldwide. 

Israel was a pioneer in cannabis research. As early as 1963, Raphael Mechoulam isolated cannabidiol (CBD), a molecule with a therapeutic effect and virtually no psychoactive properties, from the approximately 1,000 substances found in the cannabis plant. It is one of the most medically significant components of cannabis. A year later, he also isolated the substance that causes altered states of consciousness – tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Mechoulam demonstrated the effectiveness of cannabis in treating numerous diseases through scientific studies. He ensured that Israeli companies held stakes in more than 80 percent of all cannabis patents worldwide

In Germany, Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen has been and remains a key figure. He tirelessly advocates for the use of cannabis in medicine. The medical use of cannabis has been legal there since 2017. Since April 1, 2024, Recreational Consumption legally restricted.

Uruguay was the first country in the world to prepare for the legalization of cannabis in 2013. Then-President José Mujica explained: "If we legalize marijuana, we will destroy the black market. Because we will sell the drugs much cheaper than the criminal gangs. And from a medical perspective, we will have a better overview of consumers and can provide better education."

At the end of 2013, Bruno remarked during a walk that it was urgently necessary to promote the medical use of cannabis in Switzerland. Initial meetings were organized. Following the example of the 1990s, Bruno wanted to rent a storefront and open a Medical Social Club modeled on the Spanish system. His approach was headstrong. Since he had nothing left to lose—his criminal record was expired and his days were numbered—he was determined to implement the project. The first members and interested parties were from Bruno's circle and primarily hoped for free cannabis, making them ill-suited for a professional campaign.

A more sustainable approach

I was looking for a more serious and sustainable approach and brought Felix on board. Our goal was to promote the destigmatization of the plant and its medical benefits, independent of its Recreational Consumption image. Topics such as the organizational structure (social club, Association , or promotional association ) and the name (MedCan or MedCann) were discussed. The meetings were often controversial and yielded little progress. Meetings with other activists, such as a representative of the Swiss Society for Cannabis in Medicine (SGCM), were disheartening, as we were labeled a "stoner gang.".

The path to founding Association

The discussions made it clear that only a serious approach and a clear distinction from Recreational Consumption could lend weight to the topic. We agreed to use only the term "cannabis" and to avoid terms like grass, weed, hemp, marijuana, and ganja. The term "smoking pot" was declared a taboo word. We agreed that founding an Association would be beneficial. Felix drafted the statutes, and on December 16, 2014, the three of us signed them. The founding meeting was officially recorded, and the MEDCAN Association was founded, with Bruno as its president.

The Association goals

The Association original purpose was: "To promote the medical use of cannabis within a legal framework. The Association aims to bring back into the legal sphere people who depend on cannabinoid treatment for health reasons through its activities. The Association supports patients in establishing patient self-help organizations."

Initial activities

A first website was created and a Facebook profile established. A bank account was opened, and a mailbox was set up for the Association address at the Kalkbreite cooperative. The first patient meetings also took place there. To promote these meetings, we produced our first flyer and presented ourselves at the revived CannaTrade trade fair in the Dietikon town hall. We encountered considerable interest from the organizers and visitors, many of whom also used cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Patient meetings and challenges

The main motivation for participants in our meetings was to find like-minded individuals. The atmosphere was shaped by Bruno and felt like a family. Those present had various diagnoses of chronic and palliative illnesses and experiences with cannabis. So-called "cannabis nerds," who had secretly self-medicated for years, also participated, but usually left quickly. Topics such as dealing with social security and authorities in the context of illegal activity were central. For our own protection, we stipulated that the Association does not sell cannabis. However, it was suggested that participants might find others who could offer further assistance during the informal second half of the meetings.

Public relations and difficulties

We knew we had to bring this issue to the public's attention. But hardly anyone was suited to standing up in public. Many members were also afraid of exposing themselves and weren't willing to take on this challenge. Only three people agreed to appear on camera for Felix's video portraits. We started raising awareness of the issue with these videos. Despite these positive developments, however, it proved difficult to steadily expand our circle of activists. It wasn't easy to find committed people who wanted to dedicate themselves to both the cause and the Association . The fear of public visibility and the associated personal risks deterred many from actively participating.