The fees are higher than the fine:

A different approach applies to the governor's office: Here, the bus alone already costs 300 francs, with fees over 330 francs, that makes a total of 630 francs. For something weed and admitted consumption over half a year. Well understood with the first erwischtwerden.

You can't help it… Even for a mere 0.5 grams there is 250 francs. Although the crime was committed before October 1, 2013, the penalty was issued after. A first indication that the authorities probably do not want to apply the provisions on the penalty-free small amount (10 grams of cannabis)…

Smoking a joint and the police are watching: This is the classic case for a fixed penalty. However, since these only became possible from October 1, 2013, the city of Zurich's standard fine for a reported cannabis use came into play here once again.

It was a wonderful day at the beginning of September. The sun was shining, it was warm and I was out and about in Zurich with a great young woman, Beatrice. We both do not come from Zurich, knew the Platzspitz only as a cozy park to chill. Therefore, it was relatively quickly clear that we would spend the afternoon there. We chatted and laughed a lot, enjoyed the beautiful weather. At some point Beatrice suggested to smoke something. I agreed. Beatrice always has good weed with her, knows her stuff and makes very socially acceptable joints. I also smoke pot from time to time, but I never have anything with me to build. It's not the flash that appeals to me about smoking pot, but the cozy get-together, the ritual of building a joint together and smoking it together while having a good chat.

When we had almost finished smoking the joint, a man and a woman approached us. Busted. The two plainclothes policemen took everything from us right away and started a search. It must be said that the two were very nice, the young policeman seemed downright reluctant to search us at all, his colleague led the action. They found nothing at all on me and a little weed on Beatrice to smoke herself, at most enough for one or two joints. And of course the pathetic rest of the joint we had smoked together. In short: It was totally ridiculous. We gave no information about our consumption behavior, and neither of us had ever been fined in Zurich. There was simply nothing to find. We tried to make it clear to them that their action was legitimate, but that they were mainly wasting their time and spoiling our afternoon. In the city there are aggressive people on drugs and alcohol, who make more trouble, noise and dirt than we do. We were just peaceful for us, did not disturb anyone.

Beatrice told me later that I shouldn't have admitted anything because I didn't have any weed on me and they couldn't have proved anything. But I thought: along with the catch, along with the hang. Unfortunately, the incident occurred before a blanket fine of 100 francs was introduced. We were both honest, admitted that we had smoked and tried no excuses. That I then got the same fine as Beatrice, who still had weed on her, I didn't quite understand. The fine of 250 francs hurt both of us. I am a student, Beatrice is in training. The fine was a quarter of my monthly salary. But we still smoke pot when we feel like it. I have to be able to answer to my conscience for drug consumption, not to the police, who are on the hunt for fines.