Drugs Cocaine use continues to increase in Switzerland
Cocaine use in Switzerland is on the rise. The drug is used particularly frequently by men and young adults between the ages of 18 and 34. This is the result of an analysis by the Swiss Addiction Foundation.
04.06.2026, 09:55
SDA
Cocaine is the second most commonly consumed illegal substance in Switzerland after cannabis. According to the latest Swiss Health Survey of 2022, around one percent of the population has used cocaine in the last twelve months, as detailed in a press release issued by Addiction Switzerland on Thursday.
However, various data sources, including wastewater analyses, indicate that the actual extent is much higher.
Cocaine use has found its way into large sections of society. A large proportion of users are socially integrated, well educated and gainfully employed. According to Addiction Switzerland, in addition to occasional users, there is a group that uses cocaine regularly or intensively and is at increased risk of health and social problems.
Considerable consumption also takes place during the week. Individual professional sectors in which cocaine is sometimes used functionally, for example to increase performance, alertness or self-confidence, are striking. These include gastronomy, the construction industry and the art and entertainment scene. Favoring factors are high pressure to perform, long or irregular working hours, pronounced group dynamics and work-related insecurity.
The transition from occasional to problematic consumption is usually gradual, and those affected often only seek help when serious personal, social or professional problems become apparent, warns Addiction Switzerland.
