The Local Switzerland

Drunk on an electric scooter in Switzerland? You could lose your driving licence

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 10:47:42 +0100

A man attempting to have his blood alcohol results struck out as evidence after an e-scooter crash has lost his appeal, with the court likely to uphold a decision to strip the man of his driving licence and convict him for drunk driving.

Switzerland scraps blood alcohol limits for rubber boat captains

Wed, 01 May 2019 14:53:24 +0200

In good news for weekend sailors, Switzerland is to get rid of blood-alcohol limits for users of vessels including small, non-motorized rubber boats and kiteboards.

How a Swiss craft beer sparked a diplomatic spat with Nepal

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 11:53:43 +0200

When a brewery in Zurich decided recently to name a new beer after a former Nepalese king, the result was not exactly as expected.

Swiss drink driver drives to police station...whilst drunk

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 10:17:58 +0200

A Swiss man caught drink driving without a licence seems set in his errant ways: When responding to a summons over the incident he drove to the police station, drunk.

Alcohol could soon be sold in Swiss motorway service stations

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 11:15:13 +0200

The Swiss parliament took a step towards legalizing the sale of alcohol in motorway service stations when the lower house on Tuesday voted in favour of overturning an old law that bans the practice.

Swiss survey: smoking and drugs aren’t ‘cool’ – but drinking still is

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 13:44:37 +0100

Young people in Switzerland are increasingly rejecting smoking and drugs, but still enjoy drinking alcohol, according to a new survey.

Police rescue drunk man trapped by own speedboat

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 12:31:12 +0200

A man narrowly avoided being hit by his own speedboat when he fell into Lake Zurich on Sunday.

Swiss study reveals mortality ‘röstigraben’

Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:30:52 +0100

People in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland are more likely to die from alcohol-related liver diseases than their countrymen in German-speaking cantons, according to a new study.

Swiss residents booze more than OECD average

Wed, 13 May 2015 00:11:04 +0200

Residents of Switzerland have been drinking less booze over the past three decades but they are still knocking back more alcohol than the average for OECD countries, a new study for the organization shows.

MPs end 'happy hours' tippling in Vaud bars

Thu, 04 Dec 2014 00:20:00 +0100

“Happy Hours” are becoming a thing of the past at bars in the canton of Vaud after MPs from the cantonal government voted on Wednesday to ban “two-for-one specials” and other cut-price deals on alcoholic drinks in bars and nightclubs.

National ban sought for late-night booze shops

Tue, 25 Nov 2014 11:09:00 +0100

Politicians in Bern want to shut down takeaway and convenience shops across the country that sell booze late at night.

Rising global alcohol use is deadly threat: WHO

Tue, 13 May 2014 01:36:00 +0200

Alcohol kills 3.3 million people worldwide each year, more than AIDS, tuberculosis and violence combined, the Geneva-based World Health Organization said Monday, warning that booze consumption was on the rise.

Drunk driving mum had kids on board

Mon, 24 Feb 2014 14:19:00 +0100

A 31-year-old mother caused havoc on the roads of St. Gallen on Sunday whilst driving under the influence with two young children in the car.

Alcohol consumption at lowest point for 60 years

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:02:00 +0200

The Swiss consumed on average 8.4 litres of pure alcohol last year – less than at any point since the early 1950s.

Tougher boating rules set to discourage boozing

Wed, 10 Jul 2013 01:05:00 +0200

Drunken sailors in Switzerland who take the helm will soon fall foul of the same anti-alcohol rules as their counterparts on land, the country's transport authorities announced on Tuesday.

Swiss absinthe makers get protected status

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 20:29:00 +0200

Swiss absinthe was given protected status in Switzerland on Thursday, effectively tying the hands of foreign manufacturers who are no longer allowed to sell the spirit in Switzerland under the same name.

Drinkers forget what they've drunk - study

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:51:00 +0200

Young people's impressions of the amount of alcohol they have drunk are significantly lower the morning after compared to during the evening of a drinking session, a new Swiss study shows - casting doubt on the accuracy of alcohol consumption figures.

Switzerland warns of vodka tampons

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:37:24 +0200

The Swiss government has warned of the dangers associated with young people consuming alcohol with parts of the body not usually associated with drinking.

Centuries-old wine for sale in Switzerland

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +0200

A bottle of French wine dating back to 1774 and dubbed "the wine of kings and the king of wines" is expected to fetch between 40,000 and 50,000 francs ($44,000 and $55,000) at auction next month.

Swiss wine lovers drink more

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:36:00 +0200

Wine drinkers in Switzerland consumed 1.7 percent more in 2010 than the year before.