Germany recorded 2,137 fatalities in 2024 attributed to the consumption of illegal drugs, a marginal decrease of 90 cases compared to the previous year. This figure, released Monday by the Federal Government’s Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues, Hendrik Streeck, remains significantly elevated.
Data reveals a worrying 14 percent increase in drug-related deaths among individuals under 30, alongside a surge in fatalities linked to synthetic opioids and novel psychoactive substances. A growing number of cases also involve individuals consuming multiple substances simultaneously.
“We are witnessing a near-pandemic dynamic” stated Commissioner Streeck, characterizing the evolving drug market as accelerating rapidly. “Individual outbreaks, new substances, fast dissemination, incomplete data-and a system that is too slow to respond effectively”. He cautioned that without prompt action, this trajectory could escalate into a full-blown crisis with severe health and societal repercussions.
Analysis of deceased individuals shows a higher number of different substances detected than in any previous year. The prevalence of multiple substance use has never been higher. Synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, were implicated in 342 fatalities, accounting for approximately 16 percent of all drug-related deaths. Deaths involving other new psychoactive substances rose by over 70 percent, reaching 154 cases, mirroring trends observed internationally, specifically in North America.
Commissioner Streeck emphasized the imperative to avoid repeating past shortcomings, referencing lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We mustn’t make the same errors as during the pandemic: collecting data too late, reacting too late, driving forward without sufficient oversight”. He advocated for a systematic, nationwide monitoring and warning system capable of quickly identifying circulating substances and providing optimal guidance for medical and social work professionals.