The Offices for Addiction Prevention in the Canton of Zurich

What The Offices for Addiction Prevention in the Canton of Zurich does

The Offices for Addiction Prevention in the Canton of Zurich (Stellen für Suchtprävention im Kanton Zürich) is a cantonal government entity operating under Gesundheitsförderung Kanton Zürich and headquartered at Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich. The organization is structured as a 'Stellenverbund' comprising nine regional addiction prevention offices and specialized cantonal units, including the Zürcher Fachstelle zur Prävention des Suchtmittelmissbrauchs (ZFPS) for substance abuse prevention. It delivers addiction-prevention services exclusively to residents and institutions of the Canton of Zurich, with explicit prohibition on serving orders originating outside the canton.

Its service portfolio centers on prevention rather than treatment. Core offerings include anonymous self-assessment tools (Selbsttests and Freundetests) covering alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, cocaine, and other substances with automated personalized feedback; biannual publications ('laut & leise' and the 'stark' sub-brand); free downloadable and orderable factsheets, brochures, and posters in up to 18 languages; legally mandated youth protection signage for retail and gastronomy; and the MOVE three-day continuing education program for professionals working with youth on motivational interviewing, scientifically validated by the University of Bielefeld and sourced from the Ginko Foundation. The technology platform is a web-based content and ordering system instrumented with Google Analytics and TikTok Pixel.

The organization is funded entirely through cantonal public budget and generates no commercial revenue. All materials and services are provided free of charge to in-canton residents, schools, families, municipalities, retail and hospitality businesses, youth organizations, employers, and seniors. Strategic academic and operational partnerships include the University of Zurich (ISGF), Universität Bielefeld, RADIX – Schweizerische Gesundheitsstiftung, and a referral network of Suchtberatungsstellen for treatment handoff.

Name

The Offices for Addiction Prevention in the Canton of Zurich

Legal name

Die Stellen für Suchtprävention im Kanton Zürich

Website

https://suchtpraevention-zh.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Offices for Addiction Prevention in the Canton of Zurich is a publicly funded cantonal government network of nine regional offices that delivers free addiction prevention services — self-tests, multilingual materials, youth protection signage, and the MOVE training program — to schools, families, municipalities, businesses, and seniors across the Canton of Zurich.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Addiction Prevention Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Substance Use Public Health Programs (BPAIAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based) (EDAKAMAJ), Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Substance Use, Addiction & Harm Reduction Health Departments (HLAJAAAM)

Keywords

• Addiction prevention services
• Public health prevention
• Substance abuse education
• Youth protection programs
• Behavioral addiction prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The organization provides addiction prevention services for the population of the Canton of Zurich through a network of nine regional offices and specialized cantonal units. Its offerings include anonymous online self-tests for substances (alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, medications, etc.) and behavioral addictions, free factsheets and brochures in up to 18 languages, the biannual magazine 'laut & leise' and thematic 'stark' magazine, the MOVE three-day motivational interviewing training program for professionals, and legally mandated youth protection signage for retail and hospitality. The organization does not provide treatment; it focuses exclusively on prevention and refers individuals to counseling centers when needed.

Product overview

The Offices for Addiction Prevention in the Canton of Zurich (Stellen für Suchtprävention im Kanton Zürich) is a public health network consisting of nine regional addiction prevention offices and specialized cantonal specialist centers. The organization operates as a coordinated Verbund (network) providing prevention services, not a commercial product company. Its service portfolio centers on educational materials and self-service tools for the Zürcher population, comprising: (1) Self-assessment tools (Selbsttests and Freundetests) offering anonymous, automated feedback on substance consumption patterns; (2) Print and digital publications including the 'laut & leise' magazine and thematic 'stark' magazine; (3) Free downloadable and orderable information materials (fact sheets, brochures, posters, postcards) covering substances (alcohol, cannabis, tobacco/nicotine, medications, and other drugs) and behavioral addictions (online consumption, gambling, shopping); (4) The MOVE continuing education program for professionals working with youth; and (5) Youth protection materials for commercial establishments. Services target schools, families, retail/hospitality businesses, municipalities, associations/youth work, businesses, and elderly care facilities across the canton.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• laut & leise: The organization's semi-annual magazine covering addiction prevention topics
• stark
• MOVE
• ZFPS (Zürcher Fachstelle zur Prävention des Suchtmittelmissbrauchs)

Products and services

• Self-Tests (Selbsttests)

Quantifiable outcome

• E-Nikotinprodukte consumption among youth nearly doubled within two years (2023–2025) — highlighting urgency of prevention work
• +5 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zürcher Fachstelle zur Prävention des Suchtmittelmissbrauchs (ZFPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWithin the verbund of addiction prevention offices, ZFPS serves as the specialized cantonal unit for substance abuse prevention, with a focus on alcohol, medications, and tobacco/nicotine products. Domenic Schnoz is the overall manager of ZFPS.
• RADIX – Schweizerische GesundheitsstiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRADIX runs the Zentrum für Spielsucht und andere Verhaltenssüchte (Center for Gambling and Other Behavioral Addictions) in Zürich. Jan-Michel Gerber works as prevention expert at RADIX. RADIX is the national hub for gambling addiction prevention.
• Gesundheitsförderung Kanton ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization's headquarters is hosted c/o Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung Kanton Zürich. This is the parent cantonal unit for health promotion and prevention in the Canton of Zurich.
• Ginko Stiftung für PräventioncoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloped the MOVE (MOtivierende KurzinterVEntion) methodology used by the organization's staff. Ginko is a foundation for prevention in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The MOVE program was scientifically evaluated by the University of Bielefeld.
• Universität BielefeldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientifically accompanied and evaluated the MOVE methodology development. This academic partnership provides evidence-based validation for the continuing education program used in the canton.
• ISGF Universität ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitute for Suchtforschung (ISGF) at the University of Zürich conducted the study 'Wodka, Benzos & Co: Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene mit Mischkonsum' (January 2021 to March 2023), investigating mixed consumption patterns among youth. ZFPS is a cooperation partner.
• Suchtberatungsstellen des Kantons ZürichcoreOthersAddiction counseling centers throughout the Canton of Zurich to which the prevention offices refer individuals who need treatment rather than prevention. The organization's 'Beratungsfinder' tool helps users locate appropriate counseling services.
• Samowar HorgenminorOthersListed as a collaborator in close cooperation on the impressum page. A local addiction prevention service in the Horgen district of Canton Zurich.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sucht Schweiz: National umbrella organization coordinating addiction prevention and policy across Switzerland. Operates at federal level with broader scope than the subject cantonal office, but covers overlapping prevention topics.
• Ginko Stiftung für Prävention: German foundation for prevention in North Rhine-Westphalia that originally developed the MOVE methodology used by the subject organization. Broader incumbent in the prevention space and a strategic content partner.
• Infodrog: Swiss national coordination office for addiction issues, federally mandated to coordinate prevention and treatment nationally. Overlapping mandate with the subject organization at a federal rather than cantonal level.

Others

• Gesundheitsförderung Kanton Zürich: Parent cantonal health promotion entity hosting the subject organization. Provides umbrella administration, broader health promotion programs (nutrition, exercise), and the P&G magazine platform.

Direct peers

• Aargauische Suchtprävention: Cantonal addiction prevention organization for Aargau, providing school-based programs, self-tests, parent counseling, and workplace prevention. Direct Swiss cantonal peer with comparable mandate and service mix.
• Suchtprävention Kanton Bern: Cantonal addiction prevention office for Bern, Switzerland. Operates with a structurally identical model: regional offices, school programs, prevention materials, and public-health mandate. Most direct functional comparable outside Zurich.
• RADIX Schweizerische Gesundheitsstiftung: Swiss health foundation running the Center for Gambling and Other Behavioral Addictions in Zurich. Core strategic partner of the subject organization; provides overlapping behavioral addiction prevention services nationally.
• Suchtprävention Kanton Luzern: Cantonal addiction prevention unit in Lucerne providing prevention services, materials, and training across schools and communities. Structural peer operating under the same Swiss cantonal public-health framework.
• Suchtprävention Kanton St. Gallen: Cantonal addiction prevention office for St. Gallen. Direct peer in scope (prevention vs. treatment), target audiences, and public funding model.
• Suchtprävention Kanton Basel-Stadt: Basel-City's cantonal addiction prevention body. Delivers comparable prevention services including school programs, family education, and youth protection materials, with similar funding structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/suchtpraevention_zh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/suchtpraevention-zh
• Instagraminstagram.com/suchtpraevention_zh
• Facebookfacebook.com/suchtpraevention.kanton.zuerich

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Offices for Addiction Prevention in the Canton of Zurich