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"The Pioneer of Cannabis Commercialization in Switzerland"
Bernard is a prominent figure in the Swiss cannabis scene, known for :
- His significant contributions to cannabis culture include cultivating 20 to 30 hectares of fields in the canton of Valais, gradually replacing vineyards and turning Switzerland into a cannabis paradise.
- His activism in the cannabis industry has earned him recognition as a pioneer in the international market, although he is not sufficiently acknowledged.
- His prolonged hunger strikes to secure his release from prison.
- His years in prison for a plant, despite working hand in hand with the police.
- Considered a role model for both young and veteran growers in Switzerland.
- Elonian: Change in the law regarding free energy
Here is a comprehensive overview of his life, achievements, and impact on cannabis culture in Switzerland and the Francophone world.
Childhood and Youth
Bernard was born on February 18, 1953, in Saxon, in the Swiss Valais. He grew up in a rural environment, where he developed an early interest in agriculture. In his youth, he became passionate about plant cultivation, which later led him to explore cannabis. He began cultivating cannabis between 1969 and 1970 following a hitchhiking trip to Amsterdam. He brought back landrace seeds from around the world and renowned hybrids of that time. From the age of 13, he started fasting occasionally, which in the future helped him develop his secret weapon (the joker), a hunger strike to apply pressure for his release from prison. Bernard has always fought for the right causes and the interests of Swiss farmers..
Career and Contributions
Cannabis Pioneer in Switzerland
In the 1980s, Bernard Rappaz distinguished himself as one of the first large-scale cannabis cultivators in Switzerland. He began cultivating and breeding cannabis with the aim of producing high-quality hashish, flowers, essential oils (likely some of the best in the world), and many other revolutionary products. His cultivation methods and approach were innovative for the time, making him a pioneer in the field, all on certified organic land. People found it hard to believe that these products were truly organic due to their potency and attractive appearance.
Investigations and Prosecutions
Rappaz is often in conflict with the authorities due to his activities. He is arrested several times for cannabis-related offenses. His first major trial in 1991 attracts media attention, and he is sentenced to prison for cultivating cannabis for commercial purposes (a case involving a cushion filled with cannabis sold as a therapeutic cushion). As he said, it was forbidden to make drugs out of it, so he made cushions instead. A seller of knives or guns is not prosecuted in case of murder; it is the murderer who is prosecuted. Therefore, I am not responsible for what people do with their cushions. Despite this, he continues his activities and becomes a prominent figure in the movement for cannabis legalization in Switzerland.
Cultural Impact
Rappaz plays a key role in raising awareness about cannabis cultivation in Switzerland, especially among French-speaking communities and the French. His cultivation methods and products are widely recognized for their superior quality compared to what was available at that time. He won the Canna Swiss Cup with his strain, Alpe King. He is also involved in the public debate on cannabis legalization, using his prominence to advocate for legislative reforms.
Achievements
These creations of genetics adapted for Switzerland
This passionate work leads to the creation of emblematic varieties such as the
-Red Valley
-Walizer Queen
-Alpe King (hybrid Afghani/Skunk)
-Alpine Rocket
-Fantasia
-Big !
- LaFraise
Legal Issues and Controversies
Rappaz has had frequent run-ins with the law due to his cannabis-related activities. His trials have often sparked debates on Swiss drug legislation and highlighted the contradictions and challenges associated with anti-drug policies.
A Cannabis King in the Making
At the time of his incarceration, Bernard Rappaz was not arrested specifically for cannabis cultivation, as at that time, cultivation itself was not illegal in Switzerland. What was prohibited was cultivating cannabis and turning it into drugs. Bernard was one of the largest cannabis sellers in Switzerland, and even in Europe, as he had found an ingenious way to circumvent Swiss law by marketing therapeutic cannabis-derived products or products for the Valchanvre home, such as those famous cannabis-filled cushions tested at 14% THC (you would order, open the cushion, and smoke the weed! And it was really strong for the time), smokeable oils, pastes, essential oils, hemp balms, and many other quality products made in Switzerland. This approach allowed him to fully enjoy his passion while somewhat masking the true nature of his business and benefiting from the growing demand for Swiss hemp products. He was either very visionary or living in the past, depending on how you look at it. His grandparents had always grown cannabis legally and did not understand why young people told them it was a drug.
However, if I am not mistaken, Bernard was not accused of cultivating cannabis but rather of insurance fraud related to 'AVS, AI,' and especially VAT. He claims that he was cooperating with the Valais police (not hiding anything from them) and that his employees were unemployed individuals from the ORP (Regional Employment Office). Despite this, Swiss authorities imposed a multi-million franc (CHF) fine on him. Bernard had hidden a significant sum of money on his farm in Valais and in barrels. He had enough to cover the fine many times over. Rather than paying and settling the situation (fines plus prison), he chose to fight, asserting his values with the typical tenacity of a true Valaisan and to advance the cannabis movement in Switzerland (for which we all owe him something, as we have always been able to cultivate in Switzerland without taboo).
The seizures
The police seized his farm to sell it in order to cover the fines, recovering much more than what the authorities had demanded and more than the actual value of the farm. Since money had been hidden in the past and Bernard hoped to recover it upon his release, this money was never heard of again (just like the money that disappeared during a raid and then reappeared at the police station). Whether the police or the future owner took it, we will never know the true story... By paying the fine (VAT + other fines), Bernard could have legally laundered his money and continued to promote cannabis legalization in Switzerland, or even gone to the USA to join the great pioneers. However, his refusal to cooperate and his strong character led to his extended sentence. His hunger strike, a notable action that allowed him to leave prison temporarily, is a testament to his fierce commitment to his beliefs.
His fight for cannabis legalization could have been greatly facilitated if he had agreed to cooperate, but he chose to remain true to his principles, and he deserves more than just a simple thank you for that.
***During a raid in November 2002, at the height of an operation conducted by a hundred police officers, a significant sum of money, estimated at over 100,000 Swiss francs, disappeared from a 'stash' in Rappaz's farm. The police tried to accuse Sabine, his partner, but the circumstances made it impossible to understand how, under the strict surveillance of law enforcement, someone could have broken through a panel and removed the money without being noticed. Strangely, a portion of this money reappeared as if by magic after the raid, placed in a plain shopping bag on the floor during Rappaz's interrogation, which cleared him of any suspicion.
Moreover, the search of this part of the property was conducted in the absence of Bernard and Sabine, but in the presence of a third party, a shareholder in the SARL Valchanvre. This procedure, not in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure, should have led to the annulment of the judgment due to procedural flaws.
Big police raid, thanks M6
His success did not go unnoticed and drew the attention of Swiss authorities. In 1996, following the broadcast of Bernard Rappaz's entire stock in a television report aired on M6, a major raid was conducted at his farm the next day, involving 200 police officers. The stock seized by the police included 50 tons of finished products ready to be smoked (THC + CBD).
A stock of 52 tonnes which cost the Valais state
The seized stock was stored for three years in Chavallon, high in the mountains, in an old disused factory. This site was guarded as heavily as a military camp during a war. Yet, they managed to 'lose' one or two tons of these products, which made headlines in the local press! The cost of guarding the stock for several years, plus the rental of the factory, amounted to several hundred thousand francs for the Swiss government... and in the end, they had to return it to him due to lack of evidence.
About a dozen employees were hired to reduce Rappaz's hemp into powder before returning it to him, so that it could not be used for further trafficking
Stocks :
As a good farmer, Rappaz was reluctant to waste (destroy) a product or byproduct of his labor, which would become legal in a short time and could therefore bring him some income to cover legal fees, fines, and delays in payments for his businesses (the farm and the store). This explains the presence of resin and mother tincture in his stock. He held them but did not sell them; he was waiting for authorization to do so. This material was not hidden, and even some police officers knew he had it: Rappaz had informed them, and according to him, everything was clear on this matter!
I did have friends who would go buy these flowers or hash directly from the Oasis farm, and it was by the kilogram. But perhaps it was the employees who were making money behind Bernard's back.
Imprisonment and hunger strike: The struggle of Bernard Rappaz
Bernard Rappaz, a Swiss cannabis cultivator who has become an iconic figure in the hemp legalization movement, ended his hunger strike after more than 100 non-consecutive days of fasting. The decision was made on Wednesday when Valais State Councillor Esther Waeber-Kalbermatten agreed to allow Rappaz to serve part of his sentence at home under strict conditions. This move marks a significant pause in a saga characterized by determination and controversy.
On December 6, 2010, Bernard Rappaz began a hunger strike to protest against the conditions of his incarceration and what he perceived as unjust repression. This radical action aimed to compel the authorities to review his request for clemency, while his health rapidly deteriorated. At the Island Hospital in Bern, where he was hospitalized due to his hunger strike, he was on the brink of a coma, with his body weakening further each day.
Rappaz had previously signed new advance directives to continue his hunger strike, convinced that it was the only non-violent means available to draw attention to his situation (his 'trump card'). This hunger strike, which began on December 6, 2010, and continued until January 27, 2011, for a total of 52 consecutive days, was a cry of desperation to obtain a review of his sentence. His plea for clemency was heard, although the hunger strike highlighted the ethical dilemmas surrounding his medical treatment.
Bernard Rappaz was not new to hunger strikes. In November 2008, he had already used this method to protest his conviction for serious violations of federal drug laws, aggravated unfair management, money laundering, and violations of social insurance laws, including disability insurance (AI), old-age insurance (AVS), and VAT..
“Accused of producing and selling between 1997 and 2001, 1,735 kilograms of hemp resin, 65 kilograms of hashish, and 3.7 tons of cannabis, amounting to 4 million francs, he was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison.”
His sentence, considered severe, reflected a context where the liberalization of cannabis was still under debate in Switzerland.
The case of Bernard Rappaz highlights the conflict between judicial repression and the movements for cannabis legalization. His conviction is seen by some as a disproportionate sanction during a time of intense debate over drug policies. Although the suspension of his sentence and his return home offer a temporary respite of a few days, Rappaz’s fight for reform continues as Switzerland remains divided on the issue of cannabis legalization. After deciding to place him under house arrest, the judge chose to incarcerate him again and ordered him to be force-fed, even to the point of allowing him to die for his beliefs... It’s a Swiss right.
Recent Life
As attitudes toward cannabis evolve in Switzerland, Bernard Rappaz remains an influential figure in the debate. He is regarded as a pioneer in cannabis cultivation and a symbol of the fight for legalization. His recent activities include continuing his work in the cannabis field and participating in initiatives aimed at promoting drug law reform.
Impact and Legacy
Bernard Rappaz is often viewed as a visionary in the cannabis field. His work has not only influenced cannabis culture in Switzerland but has also impacted the discourse on cannabis legalization in the French-speaking world. His legacy is marked by his determination to promote cannabis cultivation and advocate for reforms in drug legislation.
Bernard Rappaz et Valchanvre
Bernard Rappaz :
Link with Valchanvre :
Contributions by Bernard Rappaz :
In summary:
Bernard Rappaz is a Swiss agrobiologist and oenologist, renowned for his commitment to cannabis and his forward-thinking approach to sustainable agriculture. Born into a family of winemakers, Rappaz, who does not appreciate alcohol due to its negative effects, turned to hemp in the 1970s. During a hitchhiking trip to Amsterdam in 1970, he brought back cannabis seeds which he began to cultivate, select, and breed from 1971.
Bernard Rappaz has always been a man of principles. From the age of 13, he used hunger strikes as a last resort, a sort of 'joker' to defend his convictions. In prison, he employed this tactic to protest his incarceration, completing a total of 120 days of hunger strikes. Despite his efforts to promote the legal uses of hemp, Rappaz was imprisoned several times, accumulating a total of eight years behind bars.
His farm, Oasis, is also known for having hosted the first wind turbine in the canton of Valais in 1974, symbolizing his vision for agriculture in harmony with nature. Although Switzerland often knows him primarily for his 'cannabis attitude,' his impact extends far beyond, contributing to the promotion of renewable energy and sustainable agriculture.
He changed the law of free energy
Bernard Rappaz, at his farm Oasis, was the first Swiss to install a wind turbine at a time when it was prohibited. He was taken to court, won the case, and changed the law!
« Today, Switzerland is encouraging free energy equipment »
In France, Bernard is known only for his cannabis activism, but in Switzerland, this man has led many battles. Here, he is considered somewhat like our Jacques Cousteau— a pioneer and visionary! When judging this man, one must not forget all the positive contributions he has made!
Conclusion
Bernard Rappaz embodies the very essence of commitment and determination in the quest for justice for cannabis. Throughout his journey, he has demonstrated courageous resistance in the face of adversity, confronting legal and social challenges while remaining true to his beliefs. His dedication to promoting the medical and recreational use of cannabis has left an indelible mark on the landscape of legalization in Switzerland and beyond.
Bernard is not only a pioneer in the field but also a symbol of hope for many activists fighting for the recognition and rights associated with cannabis. His forward-thinking vision, his ability to fight against colossal obstacles, and his courage in the face of injustices are qualities that make him an emblematic figure of this struggle.
He has managed to turn his passion into action, paving the way for broader discussions and crucial reforms that will continue to influence policies and perceptions globally. By honoring Bernard Rappaz, we celebrate not only a key player in the cannabis scene but also a true hero of the cause.
Thank you, Bernard, for your unwavering commitment and for all the barriers you have broken. Your legacy inspires and will continue to inspire those who fight for justice and equality in the world of cannabis.
