Drug deaths reached a record high in Finland last year
29.10.2026 - A total of 333 people died from drugs in Finland in 2025, the highest number ever recorded. The number of deaths rose by 86 from the previous year, also the largest annual increase on record.
The figures come from Statistics Finland’s statistics on causes of death.
“The number of drug deaths increased from the previous year in every age group. The largest increase was among the youngest group, those aged 15–24. Last year, 64 people in this age group died from drugs, 60% more than in 2024. Four of those who died were under 18,” says Kati Taskinen, an actuary at Statistics Finland.
Drugs are a significant cause of death among younger age groups because mortality from other causes is low. Last year, one in five people who died at the age of 15–24 died from drugs.
For the second consecutive year, the largest number of drug deaths occurred among people aged 25–34. There were 85 deaths in this age group, 12 more than in 2024.
“The number of deaths among 35–44-year-olds was also at a record high, at 83. That was an increase of 19 deaths from the previous year,” Taskinen says.
Helsinki recorded the most drug deaths; Päijät-Häme had the highest mortality rate
In 2025, drug deaths occurred in every wellbeing services county, but the numbers varied considerably between areas.
Helsinki recorded the highest number of drug deaths, at 58. It was followed by Pirkanmaa (30), Southwest Finland (28) and North Ostrobothnia (25).
The highest drug mortality rate relative to population was recorded in Päijät-Häme, where 9.8 people per 100,000 residents died from drugs. The next highest rates were in Satakunta (9.0), Kymenlaakso (8.9) and Helsinki (8.4).
South Ostrobothnia had the lowest relative drug mortality rate, at 1.6 deaths per 100,000 residents.
“The number of drug deaths rose particularly sharply in North Ostrobothnia, where 13 more deaths were recorded than in the previous year. The increase was also considerable in Southwest Finland, where the number rose by 11. By contrast, the number of deaths fell substantially in North Savo, from 18 to 10,” Taskinen says.
More than a quarter of those who died were women
Although substantially more men than women still die from drugs, the proportion of women among drug deaths increased significantly in 2025. The number of women who died from drugs also reached its highest level on record.
“Last year, 94 women died from drugs, as many as 44 more than in the previous year. While women accounted for around one in five drug deaths in 2024, more than one in four of those who died last year were women,” Taskinen says.
On average, women who died from drugs were older than men. Among men, the largest number of deaths occurred in the 20–24 age group; among women, it was in the 40–44 age group. The median age of men who died from drugs was 36, compared with 39 for women.
The nature of drug deaths also differed between the sexes.
“Nearly two thirds of drug deaths among men were accidental poisonings. The proportion of accidental poisonings was considerably lower among women. By contrast, deaths caused by addiction accounted for a slightly larger share among women than among men. There was also a significant difference in suicides involving drugs. A total of 30 suicides were recorded, and as many as 22 of those who died were women,” Taskinen says.
Source: Tilastokeskus
