Zurich City Council has applied to extend its legal cannabis dispensary programme until 2028, two years beyond its original end date, after declaring the pilot project a success.
The “Züri-Can” project, which began in 2023, has attracted more than 2,300 participants who have purchased approximately 750kg of cannabis through 88,000 legal sales, the city announced on Monday.
City officials said the extension would cost CHF800,000 (£690,000) and highlighted the programme’s impact on the illegal drug trade. “Around CHF7.5 million have been withdrawn from the black market,” the city stated.
Andreas Hauri, the city councillor overseeing the project, emphasised that the pilot study focuses on “health and protecting users from the risks of the black market.” The programme is supervised by the Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich.
The federal government approved an expansion of the programme in July 2025, increasing the maximum number of participants from 2,100 to 3,000. City authorities are now particularly keen to attract occasional users and women, who remain underrepresented in the current participant base.
The original study was scheduled to conclude in 2026, but the city’s application seeks to extend operations for an additional two years to gather more comprehensive data on the programme’s long-term effects.
The Züri-Can project represents one of a number of cannabis trials taking place across Switzerland, as the country explores national legalisation.
In September 2025, lawmakers opened a public consultation on draft legislation that would allow adults to grow up to three cannabis plants at home, purchase cannabis from state-licensed, not-for-profit retailers, and possess and consume the drug legally.
The Social and Health Committee of the National Council submitted the draft Cannabis Products Act for consultation on 29th August, with interested parties having until 1st December to respond. If approved, the law could take effect by summer 2026.
