It says there is an increasing and confusing number of potentially addictive products on the market, which makes it difficult for consumers to identify the risks.
“The increasing variety calls for urgent measures,” says Grégoire Vittoz, director of Addiction Switzerland. He says more regulation was necessary to protect the younger generation.
Binge drinking and illegal drugs
The report says binge drinking has become more widespread among all age groups but notably among young women.
It also highlights the growing consumption of cocaine and ecstasy in Swiss cities and use of illegal cannabis products across Switzerland since 2012.
The experts also warn of the risks of online purchases of psychoactive drugs and opioid painkillers. Attention is also drawn to the potential risk of addiction for people online, including gambling.
Addiction SwitzerlandExternal link is a national non-governmental centre of competence, prevention research and knowledge transfer, set up in 2003.
More
More
What people in Switzerland are addicted to
This content was published on
Besides drinking and smoking, the list of addictions is getting longer with trends like vaping and online gambling.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Drug addiction: ‘I pretended I had it under control’
This content was published on
Reda explains what it was like being a junkie, about the culture of lying, and how the highs are not as great as people might think.
Swiss cannabis market worth up to half a billion francs annually
This content was published on
Cannabis remains by far the most widespread drug enjoyed in Switzerland, even if the value of the market is much lower than that for cocaine.
This content was published on
Addiction Switzerland just published a report summarising different research on substance abuse and addiction in Switzerland between 2016-2017.
This content was published on
Addiction Switzerland calls for more research to better understand the addictive risks of new products such as electronic cigarettes.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.