Billions in costs for the economy Alcohol, nicotine, gambling - Switzerland has an addiction problem
According to the Swiss Addiction Foundation, the industry generates billions in sales from alcohol, nicotine products, gambling and games of chance. At the same time, they cost the economy billions.
04.03.2025, 06:10
04.03.2025, 07:01
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- According to the Swiss Addiction Foundation, the industry generates billions in sales from alcohol, nicotine products, gambling and games of chance.
- At the same time, they cost the economy billions.
- It is unacceptable that profits are privatized and the damage is passed on to the general public, according to the foundation's report.
- Addiction Switzerland calls on politicians to give public health top priority over maximizing the profits of individual industries.
The foundation describes this as unacceptable and calls on politicians to give absolute priority to health. The foundation writes in its "Swiss Addiction Panorama 2025" report published on Tuesday that the addiction industry makes a large part of its turnover at the expense of people with problematic consumption and their families. Their suffering is unacceptable.
It is also unacceptable that profits are privatized and the damage is passed on to the general public, Tania Séverin, Director of Addiction Switzerland, is quoted as saying in the report.
According to Addiction Switzerland, more than 10,000 people die in Switzerland every year as a result of addictive substances. In addition, the latest estimates put the annual economic costs of addiction at 7.9 billion Swiss francs.
Measures often unsuccessful
Addiction Switzerland calls on politicians to give public health top priority over maximizing the profits of individual industries. Because it is a billion-dollar business, the drug industry usually successfully fights political measures for regulation and addiction prevention.
According to the foundation's demands, politicians must oppose these attempts to exert influence, for example in the implementation of the popular initiative "Children without tobacco" or with a national ban on the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes.
Addiction Switzerland is concerned that the range of nicotine products is constantly increasing and that nicotine consumption has risen, particularly among young people. This applies to conventional cigarettes as well as e-cigarettes, tobacco heaters and snus products.
Discussion about cannabis legalization
According to Addiction Switzerland, Switzerland is at a crossroads in the debate on cannabis legalization. This globally unique situation could lead to the adoption of a regulatory model in the Swiss parliament in which health protection takes priority.
However, if the bill drafted in parliament is rejected, a new legalization initiative would probably be launched, which would give less weight to the protection of young people and health, warns Addiction Switzerland. According to a survey conducted in 2022, cannabis consumption in Switzerland is stable. Four percent of 15 to 64-year-olds in Switzerland had smoked pot in the month prior to the survey.
According to the 2022 Swiss Health Survey, cocaine is the second most consumed illegal substance in Switzerland. Around one percent of 15 to 64-year-olds stated that they had used cocaine in the twelve months prior to the survey.
According to the latest Addiction Panorama, the picture for other illegal drugs is rather unclear. While stable to slightly declining consumption can be observed for heroin, there is hardly any data available for other substances such as ecstasy or meth-amphetamine that would allow a clear assessment of the situation, writes Sucht Schweiz.
Alcohol remains a major problem
Alcohol remains one of the biggest problems in Switzerland in terms of health policy and the economy. According to the foundation, society has to bear costs amounting to CHF 2.8 billion every year as a result of alcohol consumption.
Although daily alcohol consumption is declining, binge drinking remains at too high a level, as Sucht Schweiz continues to write. Twelve percent of the population over the age of 15 drink half of all alcohol. Three men and one woman die every day in Switzerland as a result of alcohol consumption. Alcohol is also involved in around half of all violent crimes investigated in public places.
Gambling and gambling are also part of the addiction problem. In 2022, 4.3 percent of the population had a problematic use of gambling and money games. The money lost by gamblers had increased to over two billion francs. Gambling debts are a burden on the households affected.