C.L Martin 
A proposed pilot scheme, similar to a current trial allowing cannabis to be sold in pharmacies, is being considered by Bern’s governing council. The city’s parliament has supported the idea, but it would still need to overcome opposition from the city government and would also require a change in national law. Switzerland has one of the highest rates of cocaine use in Europe, according to tests. Prices for the drug in Switzerland have also halved over the past five years.
Eva Chen, a member of the Bern council from the Alternative Left Party who co-sponsored the proposal, said: “The war on drugs has failed, and we have to look at new ideas. Control and legalisation can do better than mere repression. We are still far away from potential legalisation, but we should look at new approaches. We are calling for a scientifically supervised pilot scheme trial.”
Metabolites measured in wastewater in Zurich, Basel, and Geneva place each of the cities in the top 10 for cocaine use across the continent. Bern, Switzerland’s fifth-most populous city, has also shown significantly increased usage.
