Community Action in Drug Policy: The Key to Pragmatic Measures?: Heroin Overdose as Impulse for a Community Prevention Program in Switzerland

Abstract

Heroin overdose was an important issue in the nineties in Switzerland and drug related problems - especially open drug scenes - constituted a major problem for cities. At that time harm reduction was being introduced on larger scale in the urban context to reduce public health problems and to regulate public order. However, ideological barriers to this approach remained important in sub-urban areas. As a consequence, in one of these areas - a large valley in the south of the country (traditionally based on abstinence and inpatient treatment) - an intervention then focused on the community. It was set up to cover different aspects of the drug problem: information, increase the feeling of responsibility for community matters and solidarity-building with drug users. One of the long-term effects of this program on local drug policy and the community is that a former harm reduction unfriendly area has now integrated some basic pragmatic measures. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the program, the extent to which a community program can reduce resistance to harm reduction approaches and can even be the key to their acceptance.