Germany reports 'shock' rise in drug deaths among under-30s
The number of drug-related deaths remains at a record high in Germany. And the victims are getting younger and younger. Many deaths are related to
The number of drug-related deaths remains at a record high in Germany. And the victims are getting younger and younger. Many deaths are related to new and increasingly dangerous substances such as synthetic opioids. Speaking at the Patrida opioid addiction clinic in Berlin, Federal Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streeck announced the latest figures on the number of drug-related deaths in Germany. Streeck said he was saddened to have to announce the figures, which, he said, had become something of an annual ritual. He also spoke of his shock at the rising number of young victims. In 2025, 2,150 people died as a result of taking drugs, up from 2,137 in 2024 and just under the all-time high of 2,227 recorded deaths in 2023. Roughly one in four were under 30 (528), up 53% from 2021, and 106 were under 20, almost double the number in 2021. The victims were on average 40.6 years old. Federal Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streeck (left) talks to reporters alongside patients at the Berlin's Patrida clinic Image: Helen Whittle/DW "Many of these young people are not yet able to fully grasp the risks," he said. Streeck, a physician and member of the Bundestag for the center-right Christian Democrats, cited psychological stress and crises as possible reasons for young people to use drugs, but also curiosity and recklessness. The latest figures show that 81.5% of deaths were connected to mixing substances. There has also been a 110.7% increase in the number of crack and cocaine-related deaths since 2021, a figure which now stands at 769.
Free drug samples left in mailboxes Berlin's police force yesterday issued a warning over packages containing free drug samples left by dealers in people's mailboxes. The colorful plastic packets contain drugs including cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine and cannabis and are printed with a contact number. Stickers with QR codes linking to drug dealers can be found across the city, particularly around clubs and streets lined with bars. Business cards with offers on dealers' WhatsApp and Telegram channels have also been distributed in bars and clubs. Another striking aspect of the new figures, compiled by the Federal Criminal Police Office, is the number of young people who died from prescription medications. Although they are generally not the sole cause of death, benzodiazepines, opioid-containing pain relievers and other psychoactive medications frequently play a role. The number of deaths linked to the use of these substances has more than doubled within four years: from 365 cases in 2021 to 769 cases in 2025. At the same time, synthetic opioids continue to spread. For example, 118 deaths were recorded involving fentanyl, more than 20% higher than the previous year. Fentanyl deaths up by over a third Streeck has previously warned that the drug market is becoming increasingly opaque and the substances ever more dangerous. Laboratory-produced opioids are reportedly replacing the drugs that were previously extracted from poppy fields in Afghanistan following an opium ban imposed by the Taliban. The latest figures show that the number of deaths involving fentanyl has risen to 118, up 34.1% since 2021. The cocaine wars: Germany's fight against drug gangs To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Streeck announced measures, including a comprehensive monitoring and warning system to quickly identify substances circulating on the market and to best prepare medical and social workers.
The BriefWire