Following other cantons, Geneva and Freiburg are also taking measures against the spread of synthetic opioids.
In Switzerland, Nitazene has so far only appeared selectively. However, experts expect that this could change soon. The cantons of Zurich, Basel and now also Freiburg, Geneva and Vaud are preparing very specifically for this.
In Freiburg, health professionals have been informed about the risks of these drugs. This is one of three measures taken by the canton. The other two are: monitoring the substances consumed and allowing the Le Tremplin Foundation to use the naloxone nasal spray as an immediate antidote against the effects of opioids.
At the end of February, a special training course was held for the staff of the Le Tremplin Foundation. At the end of this training, 50 packages of nasal spray were distributed.
Trained personnel will carry this antidote with them and can administer it if an opioid overdose is suspected after calling the emergency number 144.
The use of this spray "does not pose a particular risk and can save lives by temporarily neutralizing the effect of opioids," the canton said in a statement, albinfo.ch reports.
Every intervention must also be the subject of a report to the cantonal doctor, who is responsible for monitoring health risks.
Geneva also reacts
In Geneva, the government adopted a cantonal plan for prevention and response. Authorities and all affected actors must be prepared for the risks of the spread of Nitazen. If the synthetic opioid appears on the black market, this must be recognized early. This is intended to prevent further spread in the canton, and the associated health risks must also be limited.
As in Freiburg, the nasal spray Naloxone should also be used in Geneva to reduce the risk of death from overdoses.
These action plans are intended to help ensure that there is no opioid crisis in Switzerland like in the US, where over 100,000 people died from the consequences of consuming synthetic opiates in 2021 alone.
Taking the unconscious as a risk
"These are very strong drugs that are produced exclusively in clandestine laboratories," Nicolas Dietrich, cantonal commissioner for addiction issues in the canton of Freiburg, told RTS. "We are seeing an increase in their presence in neighboring countries, as well as an increase in overdoses related to these substances."
The phenomenon is all the more worrying as the risk of these substances being taken unknowingly has increased. According to Dietrich, even “very small amounts of overdose can cause it.”
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