Tue, Jul 18th 2023
The deputy director of Sucht Schweiz, Frank Zobel, is concerned about the increase in crack use in the city of Geneva.
The safety net for addicts is being overstretched due to the increase in crack consumption and its side effects, he says in an interview with the newspaper Le Temps published this week. Many repeat addicts forget to eat, drink and sleep in search of that crack-induced moment of euphoria, Zobel says.
The whole scene is characterized by nervousness and violence. The fact that the area “Quai 9” in Geneva no longer accepts crack users is a warning sign. Switzerland’s four-pillar policy remains correct. However, it must be adapted in the sense that drug users cover their essential needs – namely that they eat, drink and sleep. There are currently not enough offers for this.
Zobel is co-author of a study on crack use in Geneva. He argues that an action plan should be drawn up, based on cities like Dublin, Paris and London, where crack use has also caused problems.
In May, the canton of Geneva announced that the number of crack users in Geneva had doubled within a year. According to Zobel, this is due to the increased presence of sellers who sell small cans at prices starting at 10 francs. They often come from Senegal and have already been active in French cities.
This article was reprinted with permission from Keystone SDA.
English 
German 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic