6.11.2008
No signs of increasing heroin use in Finland
A number of European countries have reported evidence suggesting that heroin use is on the rise. According to the EMCDDA Annual report, there has been an increase in both the number of heroin users and the need for drug treatments. At the same time, the supply of heroin has seen a sharp spike due to a record opium crop in Afghanistan. However, the STAKES report on the drug situation in Finland indicates that there are as yet no signs of increasing heroin use in Finland.
In the rest of Europe, there are indications of a decline in the use of cannabis, which is the most frequently used narcotic substance. In Finland, however, the number of people who have experimented with cannabis has remained essentially unchanged all through the 2000s. While the use of cannabis has decreased among young people in Finland, there is evidence that cannabis use among young adults has continued. According to reports, growing cannabis plants at home has become more common in the whole of Europe. The number and weight of cannabis plant seizures have continued to grow in Finland as well.
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) reports that the number of amphetamine and ecstasy users has remained unchanged, but the number of cocaine users is still on the rise. In Finland, on the other hand, cocaine is still quite rare on drug market.
The EMCDDA report indicates that the prominent role of alcohol as an additional substance, intravenous use of buprenorphine and co-occurring mental health disorders are typical of Finnish problem drug use. Buprenorphine is the primary problem substance for 33 per cent of clients entering drug treatment. This is quite exceptional in comparison to other European countries.
New decree has not yet reduced waiting lists for substitution treatment
According to a Ministry of Social Affairs and Health report (2008) on the waiting list situation in drug treatment, the condition of clients waiting for detoxification treatment has slightly worsened. At the same time, the number of clients waiting for substitution treatment has increased somewhat.
It is estimated that some 1200 people in Finland are receiving substitution treatment. As regards substitution treatment, the new decree governing the detoxification and substitution treatment for opioid addicts has not yet reduced the number of clients on waiting lists. A particular problem is the lack of outpatient care places. Plans have been made for the increased transfer of detoxification and substitution treatment for opioid addicts to health centres and partly also to pharmacies.
In recent years, the number of drug-related deaths has shown a slight increase, whereas the situation has remained stable as regards other drug-related problems. By contrast, the number of HIV and hepatitis infections caused by intravenous drug use has clearly declined over the past decade.
Low-threshold services have had a key role in the prevention of drug-related infectious diseases. Furthermore, health counselling and needle and syringe exchange centres have helped prevent thousands of HIV and hepatitis infections.
Sources:
National report to the EMCDDA. FINLAND, DRUG SITUATION 2008. New Developments, Trends and In-depth Information on Selected Issues. STAKES and EMCDDA, Helsinki 2008. The report is available in Finnish and English at www.stakes.fi/reitox > Julkaisut
Annual report 2008: the state of the drugs problem in Europe, available in 23 languages at http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/events/2008/annual-report. (On 6 Nov 2008, the EMCDDA will also publish its own press release in Finnish)
More information:
Sanna Rönkä, Senior Planning Officer, STAKES, tel. +358 9 3967 2369, e-mail: firstname.lastname(at)stakes.fi
Background:
STAKES acts as Finland’s representative in the European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction (REITOX). The network helps collect and share information on the drug situation in Europe and it comprises national focal points that specialise in drugs issues.
The Finnish national focal point at STAKES collects and analyses data on the drug situation and on drug policies, and disseminates information both nationally and internationally.