Germany recorded 2,137 deaths attributed to the consumption of illicit drugs in 2024, a marginal decrease of 90 cases compared to the previous year, according to a statement released Monday by Hendrik Streeck, the Federal Government’s Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues. The data highlights ongoing and concerning trends within the country’s drug-related mortality.
A worrying increase in deaths among individuals under 30 years old, rising by 14 percent, has been observed. Simultaneously, there has been a marked rise in fatalities linked to synthetic opioids and novel psychoactive substances. The prevalence of combined drug use is also growing, indicating an accelerating pace of change within the drug market.
“We are witnessing a quasi-pandemic dynamic” stated Streeck, drawing parallels to public health crises. “Isolated outbreaks, new substances, rapid spread, incomplete data – and a system that is too slow to react”. He cautioned that without intervention, this trajectory could escalate into a significant crisis within a few years, carrying profound health and societal consequences.
Toxicological analyses of deceased individuals revealed an unprecedented number of different substances present, signaling a new level of complexity in drug-related deaths. Combined drug use presented in the deceased population is at its highest recorded level. Notably, synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, were implicated in 342 fatalities, representing roughly 16 percent of all drug-related deaths. Deaths involving other novel psychoactive substances increased dramatically, soaring more than 70 percent to 154, mirroring trends observed internationally, particularly in North America.
Streeck emphasized the importance of learning from past experiences, specifically referencing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: “We must not repeat the same mistakes: collecting data too late, reacting too late, driving on autopilot for too long”. He advocated for the immediate implementation of a systematic, nationwide monitoring and warning system designed to rapidly identify emerging substances and to equip medical and social work professionals with the tools and information necessary to provide effective assistance.
