Swiss authorities are preparing for the likely arrival of a new class of highly potent synthetic opioids, reports RTS. In cantons such as Geneva and Fribourg, officials have recently announced measures to anticipate the spread of nitazenes—laboratory-made drugs that can be up to 50 times stronger than fentanyl.
For now, Switzerland has largely been spared. Specialists struggle to explain why these substances have so far appeared only sporadically. Yet the risk of wider use is being taken seriously. Cantons including Zurich, Basel, Fribourg, Geneva and Vaud are stepping up preparations.
In Fribourg, the response has focused on prevention. Health professionals have been briefed on the risks, and a three-pronged approach has been introduced: closer monitoring of substances in circulation; increased awareness among doctors, pharmacists and addiction specialists; and the deployment of naloxone, an antidote that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
The canton has authorised the Fondation Le Tremplin to carry nasal naloxone sprays for emergency use. Staff have undergone specialised training and now carry the antidote, which can be administered in suspected overdose cases after emergency services are alerted. Officials emphasise that the treatment is safe and can save lives by temporarily neutralising opioids’ effects. Each use must be reported to the cantonal medical officer, allowing authorities to track emerging patterns.
Geneva has adopted a similar approach. Its cantonal government has approved a prevention and response plan aimed at strengthening preparedness across institutions. The goal is to detect synthetic opioids earlier on the black market, limit their spread and reduce associated health risks.
The urgency reflects lessons from abroad. In the United States, the spread of synthetic opioids has led to a surge in overdoses, with more than 100,000 deaths recorded in 2021 alone. Swiss officials are keen to avoid a comparable crisis.
Experts warn that nitazenes pose a particular danger because they are both extremely potent and difficult to detect. Produced in clandestine laboratories, they are increasingly found in neighbouring countries, along with a rise in overdose cases. Even tiny quantities can be lethal. Worse still, users may be unaware of their presence: the substances can be mixed into powders, liquids or cutting agents without obvious signs.
In Europe, long-standing access to heroin—supplied largely via routes from Afghanistan through Turkey and the Balkans—has reduced dealers’ incentives to switch to synthetic opioids. Europe has also been more successful in placing users on opioid-substitution therapy. Even so, highly potent synthetic drugs such as nitazenes are beginning to appear more frequently, as globalised supply chains expand and pressure on heroin routes intensifies.
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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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