For nearly three years, more than a thousand people in Bern, Biel, and Lucerne have been purchasing cannabis legally from pharmacies. On Monday, the three cities presented the first major interim results from the accompanying scientific SCRIPT study in Bern. The central finding contradicts the most common concern about regulated distribution: legal access does not lead participants to consume more frequently.
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What the SCRIPT Study Investigates
SCRIPT stands for „Safer Cannabis Research In Pharmacies Randomized Controlled Trial“ and is conducted by the Universities of Bern and Lucerne under the direction of Reto Auer from the University of Bern. Nine pharmacies in the three cities are involved. Sales began in fall 2023 in Bern and Biel, with Lucerne joining in mid-2024. A total of 1,177 people participate, including 777 in Bern, 261 in Lucerne, and 139 in Biel.
Only adults who already regularly consume cannabis can participate. The study doesn’t recruit new consumers, but rather brings existing users from the black market into the regulated system. It was approved by the Federal Office of Public Health and cantonal ethics commissions, and is funded in part by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the tobacco prevention fund. Its design as a randomized controlled trial distinguishes SCRIPT from most European pilot projects. A similar approach was already pursued by the interim results of the Basel Weed Care project.
No Increased Consumption, Slight Declines Instead
Researchers report that regulated access has not increased consumption frequency. The data even shows slight downward trends. This aligns with findings from other Swiss locations, where the legal market is gradually displacing the black market without increasing overall consumption volumes.
Anticipated side effects also failed to materialize. Study leadership reports no incidents of resale to third parties or conspicuous public consumption. Cannabis flowers dominate the sold products at approximately 65 percent, with e-liquids accounting for 21 percent.
Pharmacy Counseling Shifts Consumption Methods
The most interesting part of the interim results concerns not the quantity but the method of consumption. At the nine pharmacies, specialized staff inform customers about harm reduction consumption methods at the point of sale. Vaporizing and oral administration are especially recommended over smoking. Researchers see evidence that participants increasingly switch to these methods.
A multiplier effect is particularly noteworthy: 71 percent of respondents reported sharing the harm reduction information they received with people in their personal circles. The counseling thus extends its impact beyond study participants. For those wanting to contextualize the two recommended alternatives, our analysis of the Johns Hopkins pilot study on 25 milligrams of THC covers oral administration, and our practical test of the AirVape Legacy Pro covers vaporizer practice.
Price as a Youth Protection Tool
Prices in the trial run slightly above black market levels. This markup finances the advisory services provided by the pharmacy. Older participants apparently accept this without hesitation. However, 18- to 25-year-olds show significantly greater price sensitivity. Study leadership interprets this as an effective lever for youth protection, since the youngest group remains accessible through pricing mechanisms.
This is an argument that rarely appears in German policy debates. There, price is usually discussed only as a competitive factor against the black market, not as a controllable mechanism for regulating younger adult access.
What This Means for Swiss Regulatory Debate
The results arrive during a delicate phase. Parliament continues to wrestle with permanent regulations through the planned Cannabis Products Act, or CanPG. Most recently, the National Council’s health commission returned the proposal to its subcommittee. Study leadership explicitly sees the interim results as supporting this draft, which is expected given that pilot projects exist to provide the foundation for such regulations. Meanwhile, pilot projects continue to expand, such as the St. Gallen trial with mail delivery. Solid data from ongoing projects is the most valuable material for this debate.
It bears noting that this is an interim report, not a final, peer-reviewed publication. Some findings are based on self-reported data from participants. SCRIPT is therefore running longer than originally planned: sales are now authorized through October 2028, ending two years later than initially intended.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SCRIPT study?
SCRIPT is a randomized controlled study conducted by the Universities of Bern and Lucerne examining regulated, non-profit cannabis sales in pharmacies. It operates in Bern, Biel, and Lucerne with 1,177 participants and nine participating pharmacies. It investigates how legal access combined with expert counseling affects consumption behavior.
Has cannabis consumption increased due to pharmacy dispensing?
No. Interim results show no increase in consumption frequency, but rather slight downward trends. Since only regularly consuming adults could participate, the study does not measure whether a general legalization would attract new consumers.
Who can participate in the Swiss pilot trial?
Adults with residency in one of the participating cities who already regularly consume cannabis are eligible. The trial explicitly does not target newcomers. Access occurs exclusively at participating pharmacies and is tied to study participation.
How much longer will the SCRIPT study run?
Sales were originally authorized through October 2026. The study has now been extended through October 2028, with analysis continuing beyond that. This provides policymakers with significantly more data before deciding on permanent regulations.
Can the results be transferred to Germany?
Only to a limited extent. The Swiss trials work with a fixed study population, pharmacy dispensing, and accompanying counseling. The German model centers on cultivation associations and home growing. Nevertheless, findings on counseling effectiveness and price sensitivity among younger adults remain relevant for any regulatory debate.
Note: This article reflects the status as of September 9, 2026, and is not legal or health advice. It does not replace medical consultation and contains no health or efficacy claims regarding cannabis products. This is an interim report from an ongoing pilot trial, not a completed, peer-reviewed publication; some findings are based on self-reported data from participants. Participation in the Swiss trial is subject to fixed conditions and is not possible in Germany.
Würdest du Cannabis lieber in der Apotheke kaufen?
Sources: SCRIPT Study of the Universities of Bern and Lucerne (script-studie.ch), joint media briefing by the cities of Bern, Biel, and Lucerne from September 7, 2026, Federal Office of Public Health (overview of approved cannabis pilot trials).
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