--- title: "Switzerland’s St. Gallen Pilot Puts Fetterman’s… | Cannabivo" description: "Switzerland’s St. Gallen pilot frames the policy contrast as US Sen. John Fetterman urges Congress to end federal cannabis prohibition." canonical: https://cannabivo.com/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context language: en robots: index, follow og_type: article type: research-article language_alternates: en: https://cannabivo.com/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context.md cs: https://cannabivo.com/cs/novinky/politika/svycarsky-pilot-ve-st-gallen-zasazuje-fettermanovu-vyzvu-k-legalizaci-marihuany-v-usa-do-kontextu.md de: https://cannabivo.com/de/news/politik/schweizer-st-gallen-pilot-ordnet-fettermans-appell-zur-us-cannabislegalisierung-ein.md es: https://cannabivo.com/es/noticias/politica/el-piloto-de-san-galo-suiza-pone-en-contexto-el-llamado-de-fetterman-a-legalizar-la-marihuana-en-ee-uu.md fr: https://cannabivo.com/fr/actualites/politique/le-pilote-de-saint-gall-en-suisse-met-en-contexte-lappel-de-fetterman-a-legaliser-le-cannabis-aux-etats-unis.md hu: https://cannabivo.com/hu/hirek/szabalyozas/a-svajci-st-gallen-i-kiserlet-kontekstusba-helyezi-fetterman-amerikai-marihuana-legalizacios-felhivasat.md it: https://cannabivo.com/it/notizie/politica/il-progetto-pilota-di-san-gallo-in-svizzera-mette-in-prospettiva-lappello-di-fetterman-per-la-legalizzazione-della-marijuana-negli-stati-uniti.md nl: https://cannabivo.com/nl/nieuws/beleid/het-st-gallen-proefproject-in-zwitserland-plaatst-fettermans-oproep-tot-legalisering-van-marihuana-in-de-vs-in-context.md pl: https://cannabivo.com/pl/aktualnosci/polityka/pilotaz-w-st-gallen-w-szwajcarii-stawia-apel-fettermana-o-legalizacje-marihuany-w-usa-w-szerszym-kontekscie.md pt: https://cannabivo.com/pt/noticias/politica/o-projeto-piloto-de-st-gallen-na-suica-enquadra-o-apelo-de-fetterman-para-legalizar-a-cannabis-nos-eua.md ru: https://cannabivo.com/ru/novosti/politika/shveytsarskiy-pilot-v-sankt-gallene-pokazyvaet-kontekst-prizyva-fettermana-k-legalizatsii-marihuany-v-ssha.md tr: https://cannabivo.com/tr/haberler/politika/isvicrenin-st-gallen-pilot-calismasi-fettermannin-abdde-marihuana-yasalastirma-cagrisini-baglama-oturtuyor.md zh: https://cannabivo.com/zh/news/zhengce/ruishi-shengjialun-shidian-wei-feiteman-huyu-meiguo-dama-hefahua-tigong-beijing.md ja: https://cannabivo.com/ja/news/seisaku/suisu-zankutogarun-no-pairotto-jigyou-ga-fetterman-shi-no-beikoku-taima-gouhoka-yokkyuu-ni-bunmyaku-o-ataeru.md ar: https://cannabivo.com/ar/akhbar/siyasat/tajribat-sant-ghalan-al-swisriyya-tada-dawat-jun-fitterman-li-taqnin-al-marihuana-fi-al-wilayat-al-muttahida-fi-siyaqiha.md ko: https://cannabivo.com/ko/news/jeongchaek/seuwiseu-jangeukeuteugalren-sibeomsaeob-peoteomeon-miguk-daemacho-heobeobhwa-makseong.md pt-br: https://cannabivo.com/pt-br/noticias/politica/projeto-piloto-de-st-gallen-na-suica-coloca-em-contexto-o-apelo-de-fetterman-pela-legalizacao-da-maconha-nos-eua.md hi: https://cannabivo.com/hi/samachar/niti/svitzarland-ka-sent-galen-pailat-feterman-ki-amrika-mein-marijuaana-vaidhikaran-ki-apeel-ko-sandarbh-mein-rakhata-hai.md generated: 2026-07-24 --- > **Machine-readable Markdown rendering.** This is a Markdown representation of a web page, > served for AI agents and crawlers as a token-efficient alternative to the full HTML. > Full interactive HTML version: https://cannabivo.com/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context > Canonical URL: https://cannabivo.com/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context > Available languages: en, cs, de, es, fr, hu, it, nl, pl, pt, ru, tr, zh, ja, ar, ko, pt-br, hi [![Swiss St. Gallen pilot office displaying registration documents for a regulated cannabis study](/images/uploads/1f6fdbdd-6291-45b7-9b7e-756e83d15502/news-hero-switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalizatio-1920x1080.jpg)](/images/uploads/1f6fdbdd-6291-45b7-9b7e-756e83d15502/news-hero-switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalizatio-1920x1080.avif "View image full size") [Policy](/news/policy "Policy") 9 min read # Switzerland’s St. Gallen Pilot Puts Fetterman’s Call for US Marijuana Legalization in Context ![Portrait of Rob Harley, Cannabivo news desk](/images/uploads/5f094d99-3443-4907-8555-2910851fd38a/rob-harley-1920x1920.jpg)By [Rob Harley](/user-profile?u=a65dddce-73db-40b5-8660-fe93612a7384 "View the author's member profile")Published Yesterdayin [Policy](/news/policy "Policy") Switzerland’s St. Gallen pilot frames the policy contrast as US Sen. John Fetterman urges Congress to end federal cannabis prohibition. ![Portrait of Rob Harley, Cannabivo news desk](/images/uploads/5f094d99-3443-4907-8555-2910851fd38a/rob-harley-1920x1920.jpg)By [Rob Harley](/user-profile?u=a65dddce-73db-40b5-8660-fe93612a7384 "View the author's member profile") Rob Harley has reported on cannabis law and the non-profit association movement across Europe for the past decade. He focuses on how regulation actually reaches the members who use cannabis social clubs — the paperwork, the limits, and the slow build of public trust. His work for Cannabivo aims to be accurate, sourced, and free of hype. [More articles by this author](/news/author/rob-harley "See all articles by this author")Published Yesterdayin [Policy](/news/policy "Policy") In this article1. [Fetterman backs a federal move beyond rescheduling](/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context#fetterman-backs-a-federal-move-beyond-rescheduling "Fetterman backs a federal move beyond rescheduling") 2. [Switzerland’s St. Gallen experiment offers a different model](/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context#switzerland-s-st-gallen-experiment-offers-a-different-model "Switzerland’s St. Gallen experiment offers a different model") 3. [Descheduling and rescheduling would produce different outcomes](/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context#descheduling-and-rescheduling-would-produce-different-outcomes "Descheduling and rescheduling would produce different outcomes") 4. [The CAOA links legalization with criminal-justice measures](/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context#the-caoa-links-legalization-with-criminal-justice-measures "The CAOA links legalization with criminal-justice measures") 5. [Why rescheduling has not satisfied Fetterman](/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context#why-rescheduling-has-not-satisfied-fetterman "Why rescheduling has not satisfied Fetterman") 6. [What the Swiss and US developments do—and do not—share](/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context#what-the-swiss-and-us-developments-do-and-do-not-share "What the Swiss and US developments do—and do not—share") 7. [A Swiss pilot and a US federal demand remain separate tracks](/news/policy/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-context#a-swiss-pilot-and-a-us-federal-demand-remain-separate-tracks "A Swiss pilot and a US federal demand remain separate tracks") [Switzerland](/switzerland "13 Cannabis Social Clubs in Switzerland (2026) | Cannabivo")’s five-year St. Gallen cannabis pilot, designed for up to 5,000 adults, provides the local policy context for a separate US development: Sen. John Fetterman is urging the US Congress to “stop dicking around” and legalize marijuana while backing a bill that would remove cannabis from the US Controlled Substances Act. ## Fetterman backs a federal move beyond rescheduling US Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, renewed his call for federal marijuana legalization on July 21, 2026. In its [report on Fetterman’s legalization call](https://www.marijuanamoment.net/congress-should-stop-dicking-around-and-legalize-marijuana-fetterman-says/ "report on Fetterman’s legalization call"), Marijuana Moment said the senator was promoting his support for the recently filed Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, or CAOA. Fetterman said he had always been “very pro-weed” and described his position as rooted in a libertarian view that people should not be judged or punished for using cannabis. He argued that a path to wellness should be “legal, safe, and regulated,” rather than governed by criminal penalties. The senator has supported administrative steps taken by both US President Joe Biden and US President Donald Trump, including the federal rescheduling process. He also cited the mass cannabis pardons issued by Biden. His latest message is that those steps do not replace an act of the US Congress ending federal prohibition. > But it is time for Congress to stop dicking around and make weed legal. > > US Sen. John Fetterman ## Switzerland’s St. Gallen experiment offers a different model Switzerland’s own policy development is taking place through a controlled research model rather than the federal legislative proposal Fetterman is advocating in the United States. The St. Gallen project, planned for autumn 2026, is a **five-year pilot** examining the social, economic and health effects of regulated cannabis access for adults. The Swiss project is expected to involve up to **5,000 adults**. About 3,300 participants are expected to be eligible to purchase cannabis legally, with access through specialist stores, pharmacies or home delivery. Some participants will receive products by post after online consultations, making St. Gallen the only Swiss pilot described in the supplied research to test postal delivery. The study is being conducted with the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich’s KOF Institute. A [report on Switzerland’s St. Gallen postal-delivery pilot](https://www.mmjdaily.com/article/9855278/st-gallen-becomes-the-only-swiss-cannabis-pilot-to-test-delivery-by-post/ "report on Switzerland’s St. Gallen postal-delivery pilot") describes the project as an effort to compare distribution channels and examine whether regulated access can displace the illicit market. St. Gallen pilot at a glance 5 yearsPlanned study duration up to 5,000Adult participants about 3,300Participants expected to be eligible to purchase autumn 2026Planned start [![Swiss St. Gallen pharmacy counter displaying cannabis pilot registration documents](/images/uploads/417a0cff-01d2-4a84-8f4b-856f3925c63f/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-conte-1920x1080.jpg)](/images/uploads/417a0cff-01d2-4a84-8f4b-856f3925c63f/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-conte-1920x1080.avif "View image full size") Registration materials for Switzerland’s St. Gallen regulated-cannabis pilot. ## Descheduling and rescheduling would produce different outcomes The central distinction in the US debate is between **descheduling** and rescheduling. The CAOA would remove cannabis entirely from the US Controlled Substances Act. The separate proposal being considered by the US Drug Enforcement Administration would move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III instead. The Swiss pilot operates on another level again. It is a time-limited research project examining regulated access and delivery methods in one Swiss setting. It is not described in the supplied facts as a nationwide change to Switzerland’s cannabis law. The difference between the three approaches can be summarised as follows: The US federal proposals and Switzerland’s St. Gallen pilot | Jurisdiction | Policy mechanism | Status or scale | Source | |---|---|---|---| | United States | CAOA would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act | Federal legalization proposal filed by Democratic senators | [Congress Should ‘Stop Dicking Around’ And Legalize Marijuana, Fetterman Says](https://www.marijuanamoment.net/congress-should-stop-dicking-around-and-legalize-marijuana-fetterman-says/ "Congress Should ‘Stop Dicking Around’ And Legalize Marijuana, Fetterman Says") | | United States | Rescheduling would move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III | DEA hearing process advanced under the Biden and Trump administrations | [Congress Should ‘Stop Dicking Around’ And Legalize Marijuana, Fetterman Says](https://www.marijuanamoment.net/congress-should-stop-dicking-around-and-legalize-marijuana-fetterman-says/ "Congress Should ‘Stop Dicking Around’ And Legalize Marijuana, Fetterman Says") | | Switzerland | Regulated access through a research pilot, including stores, pharmacies and postal delivery | Five-year project planned for up to 5,000 adults in St. Gallen | [St. Gallen becomes the only Swiss cannabis pilot to test delivery by post](https://www.mmjdaily.com/article/9855278/st-gallen-becomes-the-only-swiss-cannabis-pilot-to-test-delivery-by-post/ "St. Gallen becomes the only Swiss cannabis pilot to test delivery by post") | ## The CAOA links legalization with criminal-justice measures Fetterman’s support is not limited to removing cannabis from the federal schedules. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would also create measures aimed at people who were affected by prohibition and at communities harmed by the US criminal-justice system. The proposal’s main elements, as described in the source report, include: - Removing cannabis from the US Controlled Substances Act through descheduling. - Creating a pathway to reduce and expunge prior criminal sentences for cannabis offenses. - Restoring access to housing, employment and civil rights that people may have lost because of cannabis convictions. - Applying a federal tax to marijuana. - Using part of that tax revenue to create a Cannabis Justice Office within the US Department of Justice. - Directing the office to manage a fund supporting job training, reentry and legal aid for people from communities harmed by prohibition. The proposal goes beyond legal status The CAOA combines federal descheduling with sentence relief, expungement, restored rights and a justice fund. Its stated approach therefore covers both the legal status of cannabis and the consequences of past prohibition. ## Why rescheduling has not satisfied Fetterman ### An administrative process versus an act of Congress The CAOA was introduced one day after testimony concluded in a US Drug Enforcement Administration hearing on the proposal to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. That rescheduling process began during the Biden administration and continued under the Trump administration. Rescheduling would not be the same as removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act. Fetterman’s argument is that the federal government has already taken several steps, but that Congress still has to address the underlying prohibition directly. In May, Fetterman gave Trump cross-party credit for advancing marijuana rescheduling and accelerating therapeutic access to psychedelics. He also said that his support for legal marijuana and psychedelics had remained consistent even when those positions were politically unpopular. That distinction matters for the Swiss comparison. St. Gallen is testing how regulated access might work in a defined population and through different channels. Fetterman is backing a proposal that would change federal legal status across the United States and add a national framework for taxation and justice measures. [![Swiss researchers reviewing St. Gallen cannabis pilot documents at a university office](/images/uploads/2069a5f5-e27e-436b-936b-ed7d298df090/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-conte-1920x1080.jpg)](/images/uploads/2069a5f5-e27e-436b-936b-ed7d298df090/switzerland-s-st-gallen-pilot-puts-fetterman-s-call-for-us-marijuana-legalization-in-conte-1920x1080.avif "View image full size") Swiss researchers prepare materials for the St. Gallen regulated-cannabis study. ## What the Swiss and US developments do—and do not—share The two developments share a focus on moving away from blanket prohibition, but the supplied facts do not describe them as connected policies. Switzerland’s St. Gallen project is designed to generate evidence about regulated sales, delivery and market displacement. The US CAOA is a federal legislative proposal that would remove cannabis from the country’s controlled-substances framework. Key questions about the two approaches Has the US Congress legalized marijuana?The supplied facts describe a newly filed bill and Fetterman’s call for Congress to act. They do not report that the bill has passed or that federal prohibition has ended. What does descheduling mean in the CAOA?Descheduling would remove cannabis completely from the US Controlled Substances Act. How is descheduling different from rescheduling?Rescheduling would move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the US Controlled Substances Act. Descheduling would remove it from that law altogether. What is Switzerland testing in St. Gallen?The five-year Swiss pilot is studying regulated cannabis access for up to 5,000 adults, including distribution through specialist stores, pharmacies and home delivery by post. Does the US bill change Swiss law?No direct change to Swiss law is described. The St. Gallen pilot and the US federal bill are separate developments in separate jurisdictions. ## A Swiss pilot and a US federal demand remain separate tracks For readers in Switzerland, the immediate local development is the St. Gallen study: a defined, five-year test of regulated access and postal delivery. Fetterman’s remarks concern the United States, where he is pressing Congress to replace incremental federal changes with full descheduling and a broader justice framework. The main points - US Sen. John Fetterman has urged Congress to stop delaying federal marijuana legalization. - He supports the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, which would remove cannabis from the US Controlled Substances Act. - The proposed US legislation also covers sentence reduction, expungement, restored rights, taxation and a Cannabis Justice Office. - Switzerland’s St. Gallen pilot is a separate five-year research project for up to 5,000 adults, with about 3,300 expected to be eligible to purchase cannabis. Fetterman’s message is a demand for a US federal decision, while Switzerland’s St. Gallen project is a measured local experiment. The contrast shows why rescheduling, descheduling and regulated pilot access should not be treated as interchangeable forms of reform. ## Sources 1. [632kg Gras verbrannt | DHV-News # 516 (hanfverband.de)](https://hanfverband.de/632kg-gras-verbrannt-dhv-news-516 "Open source in a new tab: https://hanfverband.de/632kg-gras-verbrannt-dhv-news-516") 2. [Endgültig! GKV-Erstattung eingeschränkt | DHV-News # 515 (hanfverband.de)](https://hanfverband.de/endgueltig-gkv-erstattung-eingeschraenkt-dhv-news-515 "Open source in a new tab: https://hanfverband.de/endgueltig-gkv-erstattung-eingeschraenkt-dhv-news-515") 3. [Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Overturn Intoxicating Hemp Ban and Regulate Multi-Billion Dollar Sector (businessofcannabis.com)](https://businessofcannabis.com/bipartisan-bill-seeks-to-overturn-intoxicating-hemp-ban-and-regulate-multi-billion-dollar-sector/ "Open source in a new tab: https://businessofcannabis.com/bipartisan-bill-seeks-to-overturn-intoxicating-hemp-ban-and-regulate-multi-billion-dollar-sector/") 4. [Argent Trades Global Rights to Lead Cannabis Drug For Debt Releaf in New $5.5m Deal (businessofcannabis.com)](https://businessofcannabis.com/argent-trades-global-rights-to-lead-cannabis-drug-for-debt-releaf-in-new-5-5m-deal/ "Open source in a new tab: https://businessofcannabis.com/argent-trades-global-rights-to-lead-cannabis-drug-for-debt-releaf-in-new-5-5m-deal/") 5. [Massachusetts: State Officials Affirm Marijuana Repeal Initiative Will Appear on November’s Ballot (norml.org)](https://norml.org/blog/2026/07/21/massachusetts-state-officials-affirm-marijuana-repeal-initiative-will-appear-on-novembers-ballot/ "Open source in a new tab: https://norml.org/blog/2026/07/21/massachusetts-state-officials-affirm-marijuana-repeal-initiative-will-appear-on-novembers-ballot/") 6. [Analysis: Tax Hikes on State-Legal Cannabis Products Drive Consumers To Unregulated Markets (norml.org)](https://norml.org/blog/2026/07/21/analysis-tax-hikes-on-state-legal-cannabis-products-drive-consumers-to-unregulated-markets/ "Open source in a new tab: https://norml.org/blog/2026/07/21/analysis-tax-hikes-on-state-legal-cannabis-products-drive-consumers-to-unregulated-markets/") 7. [California Treasurer Announces Hearing On Marijuana Business Banking Access Issues (marijuanamoment.net)](https://www.marijuanamoment.net/california-treasurer-announces-hearing-on-marijuana-business-banking-access-issues/ "Open source in a new tab: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/california-treasurer-announces-hearing-on-marijuana-business-banking-access-issues/") 8. [GOP Lawmaker Claims White House Backs His Hemp Bill, But Administration Has Problems With Inhalable Product Provisions, Sources Say (marijuanamoment.net)](https://www.marijuanamoment.net/gop-lawmaker-claims-white-house-backs-his-hemp-bill-but-administration-has-problems-with-inhalable-product-provisions-sources-say/ "Open source in a new tab: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/gop-lawmaker-claims-white-house-backs-his-hemp-bill-but-administration-has-problems-with-inhalable-product-provisions-sources-say/") 9. [Cuckooing: How Drug Dealers Are Occupying UK Homes (talkingdrugs.org)](https://www.talkingdrugs.org/cuckooing-how-drug-dealers-are-occupying-uk-homes/ "Open source in a new tab: https://www.talkingdrugs.org/cuckooing-how-drug-dealers-are-occupying-uk-homes/") 10. [Psilocy-win?: Canadian MPs Push for Psychedelic Therapy (talkingdrugs.org)](https://www.talkingdrugs.org/psilocy-win-canadian-mps-push-for-psychedelic-therapy/ "Open source in a new tab: https://www.talkingdrugs.org/psilocy-win-canadian-mps-push-for-psychedelic-therapy/")