A new report by Addiction Switzerland argues that cocaine consumption in Switzerland has become more widespread, socially normalised and detached from its former association with nightlife and marginal groups.
The report describes a steady rise in cocaine use since the early 2000s, driven by greater availability, falling prices and higher purity levels. Wastewater analyses place several Swiss cities among Europe’s heaviest consumers of cocaine per capita, with Zurich, Basel and Geneva consistently ranking near the top.
Cocaine use is no longer confined to party settings, the report says. Consumption increasingly extends into everyday working life, particularly in sectors associated with stress, long hours and pressure to perform. Researchers note that the drug is often perceived as compatible with professional and social success because its effects are viewed as more “functional” than those of other narcotics.
The study also highlights the rapid spread of crack cocaine in parts of French-speaking Switzerland, especially among vulnerable and socially marginalised groups. Health services and addiction centres have reported a rise in severe dependency, psychiatric complications and emergency interventions linked to cocaine use.
Despite the increase in consumption, the report argues that prevention efforts remain fragmented and insufficiently adapted to modern patterns of use. Traditional anti-drug campaigns often fail to reach occasional or socially integrated users, many of whom do not see themselves as vulnerable to addiction.
Addiction Switzerland therefore calls for a broader public-health approach combining prevention, early intervention, harm reduction and targeted support for high-risk groups. The organisation argues that cocaine should no longer be treated as a niche problem affecting only the margins of society, but as an increasingly mainstream public-health challenge.
More on this:
Addiction Suisse article (in German)
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