The Geneva drug policy is one example. But, on an individual basis, the judge can abandon legal action particularly when the drug addict is in treatment or has accepted it. In 1991, the Federal government, in a document named, 'Federal measures to reduce the drug problems' called for a harm-reduction policy, even if the concept is not mentioned as such. Even if Geneva is still a very rich city, social problems have been growing since 1990. Local government accepts the Federal drug laws.
Judges have a degree of flexibility in applying the law.
Substitution policy is essentially centred on oral methadone. There is interest in forthcoming results of injectable or smokable prescriptions in the experimental programmes which began a few months ago in other cities in Switzerland. Drug policy in Geneva includes prevention, treatment and law enforcement. Since 1990, the police have participated in all policy discussions, including those about prevention. Before 1986, the official policy of Geneva was oriented towards abstinence.