It recalled that the Swiss cities that took part in the recent European wastewater studyExternal link are among those with the highest cocaine rates: for overall average consumption, five Swiss cities featured in the top nine – Zurich, St Gallen, Geneva, Basel and Bern.
Lausanne has also been in the spotlight in recent weeks over drug dealing on the city’s streets by up to 200 West Africans. On TuesdayExternal link, the local authorities and police announced that more officers would combat the problem in certain districts, following complaints from local residents and a campaign led by Swiss film director Fernand Melgar.
The Addiction Switzerland statement also coincided with the release of a new European Union report, warning that the purity of street cocaine in Europe is its highest level in a decade and the number of people seeking treatment for use of the drug is on the rise.
Experts say the rise in cocaine purity is due to various factors including increased production in Latin America and the crackdown on cutting agents by law enforcement in many European countries.
The increase in purity has been accompanied by a marked rise in the number of first-time admissions to specialised treatment centres for cocaine problems. In 2016, 30,300 people entered treatment for the first time for problems with the drug, more than a fifth more than in 2014.
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A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
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The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
Ecological status of Swiss streams insufficient according to study
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Pesticide use and obstructions of waterways have a particularly negative impact on sensitive organisms, completely absent in 70% of streams analysed.
Train line between Brig and Domodossola interrupted
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One day after a derailment approximately 15 kilometres from the Swiss border, BLS is running buses for passengers between Preglia and Domodossola, in Italy.
Swiss football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
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The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
Amherd: Council of Europe is ‘as urgently needed as ever’
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The Swiss government emphasised on Sunday the vital role of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, 75 years after it was founded.
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Swiss police bust huge cocaine drug ring
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Police in western Switzerland say they have seized 13.8 kilograms of cocaine and arrested 13 members of an international drug trafficking gang.
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On weekends, Zurich is Europe’s cocaine hot spot. During the week it is second only to Barcelona, finds a wastewater study.
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Police in Switzerland have seized 14 kilograms of heroin worth over CHF2 million ($2 million) during a cross-border investigation.
Street Parade’s on-site drug testing aims to save lives
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A drug advisory service, funded by Zurich city authorities, has been carrying out anonymous drug testing at the Street Parade since 2001.
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The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug addiction ranked the Belgium port of Antwerp the cocaine capital of Europe in a study published in Lisbon on TuesdayExternal link, with an average concentration of cocaine in wastewater of 915 mg per 1,000 people per day. It was followed by London (894 mg) and Zurich (722…
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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.