Switzerland is considering legalising cocaine in a drastic approach that has never been tried anywhere else in the world. The European nation is re-examining its policy on the drug – which in the UK is a Class A substance, the sale or possession of which often leads to lengthy prison sentences and hefty fines.
The proposal, currently in its very early stages, comes after the country carried out trials exploring the legalisation of cannabis on Swizterland’s street. Although many EU countries including Italy, Spain and Portugal have scrapped jail terms for drug possession offences, this would take the issue a step further.
The radical suggestion comes as top politicians have admitted that the “war on drugs” has failed miserably, both in Switzerland and in wider Europe. Eva Chen, a member of the Bern council from the Alternative Left Party who co-sponsored the proposal, insisted that “we have to try something new”.
