Drug checking gains importance at Zurich Street Parade

Drug use remains a risk alongside the music and dancing at the Street Parade, one of the world’s largest techno festivals, SRF reports. Zurich city police seized around 50 grams of cocaine and hundreds of ecstasy pills at the event last year, while specialist services are observing new substances, unclear dosages and harder-to-assess risks on the illegal drug market.

Dominique Schori, head of Zurich’s Drug Information Centre, said both the composition of substances and consumer behaviour were changing. Cocaine has become more widespread in recent years and increasingly normalised across different social groups. Ketamine is also gaining importance in the party scene.

Unclear contents increase overdose risks

Drugs can be classified by their origin or their effects. Natural substances include psilocybin mushrooms, while MDMA, also known as ecstasy, is produced synthetically. Based on their effects, substances are generally divided into stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens.

Stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine can increase alertness and suppress tiredness or hunger. Depressants such as alcohol and heroin slow bodily functions and have a calming effect. Hallucinogens such as LSD distort perception and consciousness.

Schori said contaminated or incorrectly labelled substances were increasingly being found on the illegal market. MDMA tablets in particular can contain unexpected ingredients, have different dosages or take longer to take effect. This substantially increases the risk of an overdose.

The City of Zurich said incorrectly labelled substances were known to circulate more frequently around the Street Parade. Even MDMA pills with the same name or appearance can have different compositions. About one-third of samples analysed through Zurich’s drug-checking service carry an elevated risk and result in a substance warning.

Drug checking does not make drugs legal

People can have substances analysed before using them and receive advice about potential dangers. The service is intended to reduce risks from unknown ingredients or dosages, but it does not legalise drug use. Possessing and using illegal substances remain punishable offences in Switzerland.

Drug checking has also become established in other European cities, Schori said. He added that discussions about drug use were often dominated by either glorification or condemnation. Counselling makes it possible to discuss risks objectively and reach people who use drugs earlier, as stigma often causes them to delay seeking support.

Drug checking at the Street Parade

At this year’s Street Parade, the Zurich Drug Information Centre will offer testing at its Langstrasse location on the evening before the event, by prior appointment.

On the day of the Street Parade, the centre will be at Bürkliplatz from 1pm to midnight. Its Langstrasse location will also be open from 11am to 5pm.