In Estonia, 100 people died from drug overdoses last year. The year before, there were 113 deaths. There were 42 deaths related to nitazenes. The number of drug-related deaths in Estonia started to increase in 2019. In 2022, the increase was very sharp.
Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids. They quickly cause a strong intoxication. Nitazenes do not respond to treatment as well as fentanyl. Nitazenes are mainly spread in the Baltic countries. There are fewer of them elsewhere in Europe.
Last spring, the police added the drug naloxone to their equipment. It helps keep people alive in case of an opioid overdose. The police do not collect statistics on the use of naloxone.
The study shows that the profile of drug overdose victims is very diverse. There is no average user. Statistically, most of the deceased are men over 30. Most are Russian-speaking and live in Harju County. There are also cases of deaths among young people and those over 90 years old.
More men die, but women have a higher individual risk. In Estonia, people over 30 die more frequently. In other parts of Europe, more people under 25 die.
People often do not know what substances they are using. It is often thought that heroin is being used, but in reality, it is nitazene. People need more knowledge about drugs.
Many of the deceased had previously been in prison or in a drug treatment clinic. After prison or treatment, there is not enough help. People have to seek help themselves, but often do not reach the right place at the right time.
A surprising fact is that among the deceased, there are also people over 90 years old. This is because some medications are legally classified as narcotics.
This study is unique in Estonia and worldwide. The study used data from various registers. In total, 332 people have died from overdoses, of whom 262 are men.