Other - Drug Culture in Switzerland

[pipolito]

I have noticed that a lot of the cultural drug-related events take place in the small country that Switzerland is. I know their drug policy (Prevention/Treatment/Harm Reduction/Enforcement) is a lot more evolved than what we see in most occidental countries, but is the drug culture very "open" in there or is it a taboo like in most industrialized countries ?

Thank you

Reputation Comments on this post:

interesting question

[kalininin]

uh, tell us swiys more yerselves a bit.....

[~lostgurl~]

Why would he need to tell us more about himself to ask this question? It is a simple question that I'm sure someone here has a good answer for.

[kalininin]

Originally Posted by ~lostgurl~

Why would he need to tell us more about himself to ask this question? It is a simple question that I'm sure someone here has a good answer for.

Swim isnt inquiring about personal stuff, BUT invites pino to tell some more bout the swiss situation . im sure that isnt too much to ask.

[pinkandfluffy]

Swim is also interested in this, he's going on holiday there in the summer, but not with druggy type people.

[kalininin]

the swiss act like they invented chocolate. its good though, but beware of hangover after overuse.

[aerozeppelin123]

When I was in Basel (fairly big city in Switzerland), people just sat on the river bank openly smoking joints, I don't think the police really care about weed otherwise they wouldn't have done it so openly.

[moda00]

When swim was in Switzerland, she had to take a cab to a methadone clinic one morning. The cab driver was an older Swiss man, about mid-sixties/early-seventies, and spoke limited English, so with swim's limited German they couldn't communicate except in very simple sentences. As they approached the clinic he said something like "This is out of sight." At first I thought he might mean out of the way, geographically, a hassle to get to, but thinking more in it he may have been saying that the clinics are placed where they are not seen by the general public, tucked away inside a hospital or in a small building in the middle of a park/wooded area on the outskirts of the city. They have excellent addiction treatment there, and offer buprenorphine, methadone, and heroin substitution treatment for opioid addiction, and counseling for any substance problem, and it is provided free (even to foreigners, who knew?) So they acknowledge that drugs exist and that addiction exists, and address it as necessary, but I think the overall social climate is one of don't ask, don't tell, or something that is simply unsaid but hovers in the background. That said, swim did get the impression that things like marijuana and alcohol were tolerated, both from a legal standpoint and a social one, although they are not openly promoted. And the acceptance of the Swissotel and Congress Center Basel to host the World Psychedelic Forum, along with the fact that several studies involving psychedelic research have gotten the go-ahead in Switzerland, swim does feel they are a bit more accepting of these things overall.

[Bajeda]

Extremely liberal cannabis policy, liberal drinking laws, great addiction treatment as moda mentioned (the heroin prescription program was started in Zurich), etc. Its a fun place to live, has great concerts and raves, beautiful scenery, awesome ski spots, a multiplicity of outdoor activities within easy reach...

I don't know if they have drug testing centers like in the Netherlands, maybe someone else does. Cannabis is easily available in most any quantity, as are psychedelics and "club drugs", and cocaine seems to be abundant as well. Not going to comment more as other parts of the country may not be like the areas my goat is familiar with (both villages and cities have same abundance though, just harder to find in former if you don't know).

[crai]

here one can test substances in Switzerland:

http://www.saferparty.ch/de/testing/DIZ/index.asp

the site is german, but there is also the adress.
I hope this link is not against the rules, its my first posting

Reputation Comments on this post:

valuable information. thanks

[FrankenChrist]

Switzerland is cool. But don't litter, and don't speed on their roads. You will pay fines out of your ass.