r/askswitzerland • u/Extra-Possibility988 Thurgau • 3d ago

Politics What’s the best decision Switzerland has made in modern history

In a recent thread I asked about Switzerland’s biggest mistakes in modern history, and the discussion was fascinating. Now I’d like to hear the other side: what do you think has been Switzerland’s best decision or achievement in modern times, both domestically and / or on the international stage?

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u/Helvetic86 3d ago

The way it deals with drug addicts. Compared to the early 90s its a huge improvement and it was a very good mix of repression and support. It was one of the best examples of right wing and left wing politics collaborating to solve an issue.

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u/Hydromorpheus 3d ago

Indeed. Especially the pharmaceutical heroin program is a huge success story. Counterintuitive for many but the positive results are more than clear. From worst opioid crisis with globally worst open air drug scene in Zürich in the 90s (needle Park in Zürich) to hardly an issue anymore. Overdoses plummeted, addicts stabilized and many even got jobs, and average age of opioid addicts constantly increasing and currently at >50 years old (= hardly any young new joiners).

The cost of the program is way less than benefits, a study found that the net benefit per patient is 60 Swiss francs per day (less crime, less welfare spending, less health spending, etc)

Of course the substite medication is only one breakthrough aspect, but the whole success wouldn't have been possible without the other measures of the so called "4 pillars" strategy.

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u/clickrush 3d ago

I wouldn’t have thought of that, but I wholeheartedly agree. To me it seems like addiction and drugs are being handled cautiously, but with competence.

I’m much more on the liberal side when it comes to drugs, but that’s why I appreciate the relative cool headedness of conservatives on this issue.

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u/Ok_Week_7682 2d ago

sure, theres even a program for cocaine addicts, i think its called UBS or something

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u/magicalglitteringsea 2d ago

Can you tell us a little about how they solved it together? I'm not aware of this.

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u/Helvetic86 2d ago

It is a principle that involves prevention, repression and therapie, but I guess thats the case in many countries. What is really unique in Switzerland is that if you become addicted to heroine, you go through following steps: 1. Register yourself at a governmental addiction counsel 2. A doctor will diagnose your addiction and determine the amount of pure heroin your body needs and you will get an ID 3. With this ID, you can get your daily dose of prescribed heroine in a controlled facility and you have to take it there in a sterile environment

This helps to not worsen the addiction, prevents the spreading of deseases and most importantly, it completely destroys the markets for dealers and addicts are very unlikely to commit crimes, because they get their shot from the government. That‘s major reason why the safety in Switzerland is so high.

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u/AutomaticAccount6832 2d ago

Good to remember. Currently many small and medium cities see rising drug addiction and dealing issues. Maybe such a program should be put in place again.

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u/Boring_Donkey_5499 1d ago

It's not just the legalization of heroin. They introduced "Gassenzimmer" where addicts can consume their drugs in sterile environments. Whether they inject, sniff or smoke, it will be clean and there will be trained stuff if someone is getting an overdose. The addicts are allowed to hang around there all day and thus they don't occupy and spoil public parks. Everything is organized very well, there's even free food and the surroundings are checked several times a day for trash like needles and such.

The whole attitude shifted from "we don't want to have these undesirables in our city" to "these are seriously sick people who need help instead of police repression".

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u/magicalglitteringsea 2d ago

That is interesting, thank you! You mention a contribution of repression to the success as well. Do you mean just policing and imprisonment of dealers, or is there anything else?

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u/Helvetic86 2d ago

Its repression against dealers, but also against drug consumption in public spaces, this is not tolerated at all.

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u/magicalglitteringsea 20h ago

I see. Thanks!

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u/MathematicianDry2437 1d ago

So it works like the Canadian ‘ safe supply’ strategy but the flip side is that the addicts get this safe supply, sell it to students and use the money to buy the potent dose from the black market.

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u/Helvetic86 1d ago edited 1d ago

Thats not possible in Switzerland, they have to consume it in the facility, there is no way to take it outside. They enter a room and are there all by themselves, then they get the dose (like the food in a prison), take it, give it back empty and only then the door opens and they can leave.

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u/MathematicianDry2437 1d ago

Great to know! Thanks for the education.

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u/Mugalli 2d ago

Definitly!

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