Monitoring online drug markets - The darknet project in Zurich

The meeting places of recreational drug users are increasingly shifting into digital rooms. The purchase of substances via darknet markets, via messenger services such as Telegram or via social media such as Instagram, as well as darknet forums for the exchange of consumption experiences are trends saferparty is currently dealing with. This creates new challenges and opportunities for professional harm reduction to reach the target group appropriately. The presentation will address these new challenges and opportunities, highlight Saferparty's attempt to respond to them, and provide insight into the future of counseling as well as harm reduction in digital spaces.

In 2020, 12% of drug checking users of Saferparty stated, that they obtained their substances via darknet. In comparison, in 2014, only 2% of drug checking visitors obtained their substances from the darknet. Due to this increasing procurement of psychoactive substances on the darknet, Saferparty has launched the darknet project in 2020. Darknet vendors targeting the Swiss market were researched, contacted, and attempts were made to motivate them to place specific safer use messages with the substances they offer. In addition, Saferparty publishes its own current substance alerts, its own evaluations and other advice in selected darknet forums. Furthermore, Saferparty offers users the opportunity to obtain anonymous counseling via darknet forum.