Publication:
Negotiating the divide: Science, politics, and institutional boundaries in Swiss cannabis regulation.

cris.virtualsource.author-orcid9c78047b-8526-4ad2-8f55-167f7aa55063
datacite.rightsopen.access
dc.contributor.authorSznitman Sharon R.
dc.contributor.authorAuer, Reto
dc.contributor.authorHavinga, Jonathan Christopher
dc.contributor.authorCasalini, Alessandro
dc.contributor.authorBroers, Barbara
dc.date.accessioned2025-07-08T12:31:50Z
dc.date.available2025-07-08T12:31:50Z
dc.date.issued2025-06-05
dc.description.abstractAim Cannabis policy developments worldwide typically follow separate tracks for medical and non-medical use, even in jurisdictions pursuing both forms of legalization. As these parallel regulatory frameworks evolve, understanding how stakeholders negotiate and maintain boundaries between these domains become crucial for effective policy development. Using Swiss cannabis policies as a case study, this study examines how stakeholders engage in boundary work related to medical and non-medical cannabis regulation. Methods Thematic content analysis was conducted on qualitative interview data from 18 stakeholders involved in Swiss cannabis policy. Results Two distinct forms of boundary work emerged. Conceptual boundary work involved using discursive methods to legitimize medical cannabis as scientific while positioning non-medical cannabis in the social/political domain. Structural boundary work manifested through institutional mechanisms, particularly health insurance reimbursement and pharmacy distribution. Insurance reimbursement served as a key structural element distinguishing medical from non-medical cannabis. However, using pharmacies as distribution points in non-medical cannabis regulatory pilot projects was identified as problematic, potentially undermining intended boundaries between domains. Conclusions The study reveals that stakeholders engage in boundary work as a strategic tool to navigate the complexity of maintaining boundaries between medical and non-medical cannabis systems. Relying on scientific discourse to legitimize medical cannabis while keeping non-medical cannabis in the social/political sphere may create artificial distinctions that do not reflect the complex reality of cannabis use. Policymakers aiming to reduce blurred boundaries should carefully consider how policy elements may undermine intended separations between domains.
dc.description.noteSznitman wird Adjunct Researcher beim BIHAM - Rolle ist in Bearbeitung. DK/17.07.2025
dc.description.numberOfPages7
dc.description.sponsorshipBerner Institut für Hausarztmedizin (BIHAM) - Substanzkonsum
dc.description.sponsorshipInstitute of General Practice and Primary Care (BIHAM)
dc.identifier.doi10.48620/89223
dc.identifier.pmid40479915
dc.identifier.publisherDOI10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104865
dc.identifier.urihttps://boris-portal.unibe.ch/handle/20.500.12422/211802
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.relation.fundingSwiss National Science Foundation
dc.relation.grantnoIZSEZO2L5942 | L
dc.relation.ispartofInternational Journal of Drug Policy
dc.relation.issn1873-4758
dc.relation.issn0955-3959
dc.subjectBoundary-work
dc.subjectCannabis
dc.subjectLegalization
dc.subjectMedical cannabis
dc.subjectQualitative interviews
dc.subject.ddc600 - Technology::610 - Medicine & health
dc.subject.ddc300 - Social sciences, sociology & anthropology::360 - Social problems & social services
dc.titleNegotiating the divide: Science, politics, and institutional boundaries in Swiss cannabis regulation.
dc.typearticle
dspace.entity.typePublication
dspace.file.typetext
oaire.citation.startPage104865
oaire.citation.volume143
oairecerif.author.affiliationBerner Institut für Hausarztmedizin (BIHAM) - Substanzkonsum
oairecerif.author.affiliationBerner Institut für Hausarztmedizin (BIHAM) - Substanzkonsum
oairecerif.author.affiliation2Institute of General Practice and Primary Care (BIHAM)
unibe.additional.sponsorshipInstitute of General Practice and Primary Care (BIHAM)
unibe.contributor.orcid0000-0002-9398-0727
unibe.contributor.roleauthor
unibe.contributor.roleauthor
unibe.description.ispublishedpub
unibe.journal.abbrevTitleInt J Drug Policy
unibe.refereedtrue
unibe.subtype.articlejournal

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