Drug deaths hit record 333 nationwide, 30 in Pirkanmaa

Statistics Finland's cause-of-death data, reported by Tamperelainen, show 333 people in Finland died from drug-related causes in 2025, including 30 in Pirkanmaa. This is the highest total on record. It also represents an increase of 86 deaths from 2024, the largest single-year rise in the series.

Helsinki had the most deaths, 58. Next were Pirkanmaa with 30, Southwest Finland with 28 and North Ostrobothnia with 25.

Actuary Kati Taskinen said the rise cut across all age groups. The steepest climb was among 15–24-year-olds, where 64 people died in 2025, a 60 percent increase from 2024. Four victims were under 18. While men still account for most drug-related deaths, female fatalities reached a record high, Taskinen added.

Local reporting documented related trends: Tampere police recorded worsening drug-related crime in their annual statistics, and user groups in Tampere began distributing home drug test kits amid concerns about fentanyl and other dangerous substitutes as local groups warned.