Is there a way to clean this criminal record, either does it stay forever or it gets outdated after ceratin period of time? Can one offer something like community service to redeem onself from this record? I mean when it comes to certain inquires regarding the civil status and police clearance it might harm the incumbent in the long run...

OK i read this today

http://www.webehigh.com/city/detail.php?CITYID=8

IS this so, can you have a chuff say down by the lake somewhere without really being bothered over it?




ZurichUpdated: 10/04/2007

Smoking tolerance level [1= very illegal 5=virtually legal]: 4

Legislation: Switzerland is a federal state and the law on drugs is the same for all provinces. According to the Swiss law- it is illegal to own or carry pot or hash, except for private smoking involving small quantities in a private place.

Law Enforcement: Smoking is usually not risky on most spots, as there aren't really that many cops. . If you do get in trouble, the police will write you a ticket and fine. Teenagers under 18 who are caught smoking pot, will be arrested until released by their parents.
Near the lake is probably the least safe place to smoke outdoors, while smoking indoors is safe.

Where to buy Marijuana in Zurich: in CH there are no more head shop after 2004 (i live there)..its so difficult now to find anything!!!

Buying Mrijuana or hash on the street is not recommended, but if you get to the Langstrasse area (which is also the red light district of Zurich), you will find street dealers.

Zurich Marijuana Prices: 4 grams of top quality pot costs about 50 francs = 40 USD.
For the same price, you may also get approx. 7 grams of top quality Hash.

The prices in Zurich have been stable for the last few years.

Weed Brands: Only top quality pot is sold in Zurich, and you may find all Amsterdam brands for sale.

Country: Switzerland
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1
Telephone Area Code: +41

Zurich isn't just the largest city and financial centre of Switzerland; it is also the most drug-friendly city in the mountainous nation.

Like all cities in Switzerland, Zurich is enjoying a period of relaxed – an possibly reformed -- drug laws that allow less-than-discreet pot and hash smoking around the city.

"Almost any drugs can be had on the street here. At the moment the scene happens along the river just near the station, a road called Sihl Quai," said Wolf from the United States, who lived in Zurich for several months.

"Almost instantly you will run into a group of people selling hash. They stand on the sidewalk, just by a pedestrian crossing, waiting for customers."

The best way to get to Sihl Quai from the central train station -- Hauptbahnhof -- is to head past the National Museum and over the Gessner Bridge that crosses the Sihl River.

If you can't find a hash or pot dealer on the street, head for a local hemp or head shop, where both Super Skunk and Northern Lights bud is available in abundance. Keep an eye out for local dealers who have an unfortunate tendency to dilute their wares with tobacco. Still, locals swear by the hash.

"There are usually at least 5 to ten people selling hash -- you get a reasonable choice," Wolf said. "I have also seen some grass, but not a lot and mostly miserable quality."


The Langstrasse area is the red light district of Zurich. "Sometimes you have to pay attention so that you don’t get robbed and there are drug dealers," said Gabe, an American living in Zurich. "Remember, where drug dealers are, there is always also the police. So take care what ever you do."

Aside from the typical red light diversions, the district is a decent place to find some hash or a post-smoke falafel before nightfall in Zurich. Because rent in the area is surprisingly cheap -- by Swiss standards – a lot of immigrants live near Langstrasse, which translates to a lot of highly edible, cheap eats to fix the munchies.

But be sure to keep a hand on your wallet. If hunger isn't a problem, wander down to Helvetia platz at one end of Langstrasse and check out the Kanslei flea market on Saturday. Although most items are simple junk, there are a few good deals to be found. But if slightly more expensive market shopping is your style, a more costly market with better junk is at Burkli platz by the lake and a high-class market can be found in Rosenhof. But don’t skimp on the tram or bus tickets in Zurich. "You have to take a ticket our of the machine at every station, Gabe said. "If they catch you will have to pay [almost $10] or more if you don`t pay on the spot."

Nearby Neiderdorf is the main drag for traditional tourists. Lined with a nice selection of bars and some talented street performers, Neiderdorf also hosts the young and hip section of Old Town on the right bank of the river.

Head to the area for a few -- rather expensive -- drinks during a night out on the town.
While it is technically illegal to light up that hash pipe while kicking back and taking in the sights, most police officers and locals will turn a blind eye and nose to your heavily scented smoke as long as your indulgence is subtle, and you’re over 18. If you do get in trouble, the police will write you a ticket and fine. Teenagers under 18 who are caught smoking pot, will be arrested until released by their parents.

The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and the Federal Commission for Drug Issues are both pushing for liberalization of the nation's drug laws to make dealing and smoking pot and hash a legal pastime.

"Altered habits of consumption have turned [cannabis] into a recreational drug enjoyed by a large percentage of the population, unaccompanied by any feelings of wrong doing and a world away from the consumption of 'hard' drugs," the office of Public Health said.

The government is currently debating whether to adopt a system making personal consumption legal -- similar to the situation in Amsterdam – or establish a completely legal cannabis marketplace.

Nothing new...Too many hippies all over Switzerland. Hiking around Hasliberg in Berner Oberland I stumbled upon a huge growing field of mostly hemp but was in instant shock and reminded me of the movie,"The Beach". I did not see anyone else around and there were no monkeys,so I took a picture and went on with my hike.

so what was the outcome of this whole possession charge? something similar just happened to me last night and I'm kind of shaking in my boots

Depends how much you had.....
But normally an on spot fine and that's end of it.


But if you can't do the time. ... u know the rest

Relax and have a spliff.

You had just personal on you? What was it? How is it that it wasn't your mate?

You're clearly smoking the wrong stuff then...

Narcotics Act -> Chapter 4 Criminal Provisions

Art. 28, 1 Prosecution is the responsibility of the cantons.

Art. 28b If you get caught consuming cannabis products, and if you just have small amounts of cannabis products with you (max. 10 grams), and if you are an adult (18+), you may just get a fixed penalty (CHF 100.-) on the spot, depending on the canton and the police. And they will confiscate the remaining drugs. This type of penalty is called "Ordnungsbusse". In general, "Busse" it is the mildest form of penalty.

For all other drug relicted crimes, things will go into ordinary proceedings ("ordentliches Verfahren"), and you will get a more severe monetary penalty "Geldstrafe" (which is based on income) or a custodial sentence "Freiheitsstrafe" (=jail time).

Since you did not get that fixed CHF 100.- penalty, I think that your case, too, will go into ordinary proceedings. So, what will happen now is that probably the police will report (Verzeigung, Anzeige) the facts to a state prosecutor (Staatsanwalt) or investigative judge (Untersuchungsrichter). Maybe they will then ask you to go to a police station for more questioning, e.g. regarding your income and previous crimes etc. (It is advisable to take a lawyer to go there. You don't have to say anything that makes your situation even worse.)

Then, probably, the state prosecutor or investigative judge (depending on the canton) will send you a "Strafbefehl", mentioning the penalty and wether or not it will be registered in the federal central Strafregister.
Once you have received the "Strafbefehl", you will have 10 days or so to decide. Either you accept it and pay, or you appeal, and then there will be a hearing and trial in court.

I am not a lawyer, and this is just about what I understand from the laws and the prosecution system. Also, I don't know what the impacts are when you are a forereigner living in Switzerland, sorry.

Anyway, there is little you can do now. Just wait until you hear from the authorities again. Then, you have to react quickly, and in most cases it is recommended to take a lawyer.

Recent newspaper article: Zürich büsst mehr Kiffer als Bern.
In Zürich, if the police catch you carrying a small amount of cannabis products with you (but not in the act of smoking them), you will most likely just get the fixed penalty of CHF 100.- on the spot as well. In Bern, you will get reported, i.e. it will go to an investigative judge, and this will become more annoying (and probably more expensive).

Anyway, best is to stay away from drugs!

Yeah, no. That was another guy that started this post i had 3 lappe, personal. They took me in for questions and told me I'd be sent the fine, then released me.

⬆Das stimmt. Anyways since I didn't stay away and all that , and if I do just decide to pay the fine, will this affect the renewal of my visa?

Probably not ... but they may send you to Bogota for community work in scorching heat on sugar cane plantation

But that's not too generous for puffing.

Or hopefully to slave away in a Colombian Gold plantation, or serve time in a Colombian Marching Powder community factory...

Legalize it, tax it. Smoking kills nearly 6 million people a year (6 MILLION), that's a Holocaust every year for the love of Marlboro.

Deaths from pot: 0.

Really?

"The drug can cause cancer, lung disease and abnormalities associated with serious mental illness.

Users are up to six times more likely to develop schizophrenia.

The British Lung Foundation says smoking three joints a day can cause the same damage to the airways as a pack of 20 cigarettes."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-000-year.html

So smoke less and still do the same amount of damage to yourself as having some cigs. Way to go, folks.

Be sensible and don't smoke anything.

About 1% of the population are prone to schizophrenia. That was the case 50 years ago and it's the case now.

Marijuana use has risen dramatically over the last 50 years. Don't you think that there would have been a sharp rise in schizophrenia too?

It might accelerate the onset of schizophrenia in those who already have a propensity for it, but studies have revealed that the consumption of pot has got nothing to do with schizophrenia.

The drug also cures many things, but do you think big pharma wants you to know that?

I clicked on that link from the dailymail (really?) and nearly got sucked into the sidebar of shame. Even if those stats are true, 30,000 deaths compared to 6 MILLION from tobacco and nearly 2.5 MILLION from alcohol, is nothing.

Do yourself a favour and watch a documentary called High Culture it might open your eyes to a few facts about Marijuana and help you strip away some of the myth behind the prohibition and propaganda

Oh, and doesn't have to be smoked. It's not for everyone, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying everyone should get stoned, but it shouldn't be illegal.

EDIT:

One doesn't need to go far to find more reputable research information that the Daily Mail. Here is a reference to a Harvard study that reveals

Did you even read that garbage on the Daily Mail? I've just glanced over it and this is what I saw

The Daily Mail as ever, is NOT a source of real information, unless you want to know the status of Katie Price's tits.

I think we are all now pretty clear what you do for a hobby

I thought drugs were what students experimented with because they thought they were cool or rebelling. I didn't realise proper adults still did them

Do you drink alcohol? Coffee? Smoke cigarettes? Take any pharmaceuticals?

Don't be so short sighted as to bundle marijuana into a recreation only category either. The prohibition of MJ means that it's capacity for medical use is being hampered. We're not all stoned students, I know many very functional users. Like I said, it's not for everyone but nobody should tell me what I can or can't do.

Also, you're calling me a proper adult? Let me know once you've formulated a definition thereof. :-)

Pay attention to smilies

"Don't be so short sighted as to bundle heroin into a recreation only category either. The prohibition of H means that it's capacity for medical use is being hampered."

Paranoia, dude!

More evidence that it makes you paranoid!

Sorry, I'm not very good with emoji-speak.

What are you trying to say, that MJ is as harmful as Heroin or that we were able to derive it's medical use despite its legal status? The medical use for heroin was discovered long before it was mad illegal.

If you are comparing the two, I don't think it's a fair comparison and spare me the 'gateway' schpiel. Do you ever use codeine based painkillers?