Geneva ready for fentanyl - when it arrives

Geneva is preparing for a drug crisis that hasn’t yet arrived.

Authorities say there have been no confirmed cases of fentanyl in the canton, the synthetic opioid blamed for around 73,000 deaths in the United States in 2023.

But the State Council is taking no chances, adopting a new plan to tackle these highly potent substances, sometimes called “zombie drugs.” 

Officials warn fentanyl can be up to 250 times stronger than heroin and is difficult to detect, increasing the risk of fatal overdoses.

The strategy includes public awareness campaigns, drug-checking, wastewater monitoring, and wider access to the antidote naloxone.

Authorities say the goal is simple - being able to act quickly if the threat emerges.

More from Bitesize News

  • Geneva could foot the G7 bill

    Geneva fears it will be left with the security bill from a G7 summit just across the border in Évian, according to 24 heures.

  • US NGO discovers Swiss child abuse cases

    Switzerland relies too heavily on an American NGO to detect child sexual abuse online, raising questions about the country's ability to protect children on its own.

  • French singer banned by Paleo

    The Paléo Festival in Nyon says it will no longer invite French singer Patrick Bruel, after a former volunteer accused him of inappropriate behaviour.

  • Cars going uninspected

    The cantons are struggling to keep up with mandatory vehicle inspections, leaving more than 550,000 checks overdue nationwide.

  • War may lead to rent rises

    Rents may rise again, says the bank Raiffeisen.

  • Not a heatwave, yet

    Summer has arrived, with temperatures climbing past 30 over the long weekend. Basel reached 31 and Sion hit 32.4, but MeteoSwiss, says this does not yet count as an official heatwave.

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play