Can you smoke cannabis in public in Switzerland?
Public cannabis consumption is doubly problematic: first a BetmG violation (up to 10 g, 100 CHF fine), second cantonal/municipal smoking bans. Train stations, parks with playgrounds, and many city centres trigger additional fines.
Key facts
- BetmG fine: 100 CHF
- Additional cantonal fines possible
- SBB, playgrounds: banned
- Recommendation: private space
Detailed answer
Public use falls under the BetmG (100 CHF fine for small quantities). Cantonal and municipal smoking bans add on top: stations (SBB house rules), bus stops, playgrounds and increasingly defined city-centre zones in Zurich, Basel and Geneva, including riverside strips and pedestrian squares. Fines stack per rulebook broken — a single check at Zurich main station can mean a 100 CHF BetmG fine plus a 60–150 CHF SBB fine plus a cantonal municipal fine. Near schools, in licensed outdoor restaurants and at events, private house rules also allow the operator to remove you from the premises. The pilot studies (Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Geneva) explicitly recommend consumption in private spaces; on public ground even study participants get no privilege. Bottom line: even where the BetmG consequence is minor, the mix of stacked fines and documented removal makes public ground the most expensive place to consume — indoors or on private property is consistently cheaper and safer.