Finland sees record number of drug deaths in 2025
The number of drug-related deaths increased across all age groups and genders, but in particular among younger people and women.
In 2025, Finland witnessed the highest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded, with a total of 333 fatalities, according to Statistics Finland. This represents a 35 percent increase from 2024, as reported in a press release by Kati Taskinen. The grim tally marks a sharp upward trend in drug-related deaths, which have risen from 138 in 2006 to over 300 in every year of the 2020s.
The increase in deaths was observed across all age groups, but was particularly significant among younger people, with a 60 percent rise in deaths among those aged 15 to 24. Helsinki, Pirkanmaa, Southwest Finland, and North Ostrobothnia experienced the highest number of drug-related deaths, with the mortality rate being highest in Päijät-Häme, at 9.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
Written by urgent.news from Yle News Finland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
