The 2005 National Report to the EMCDDA by the Finnish National Focal Point is one of the national annual reports on the drug situation compiled by the National Focal Points in the REITOX network, co-ordinated by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Based on the national reports, an annual report on the drug problem is drafted in the European Union and Norway.

First, long-term developments are analysed briefly, and then the most recent developments and trends are looked more thoroughly (part A). Finally, the report discusses three selected issues on drugs (part B). The long-term analysis is divided into two sections, the first one dealing with the drug situation as a whole and the second with anti-drug activities. Part A discusses the drug situation in another order. The chapters that describe the different aspects of the drug situation during the past year (drug experimentation, problem drug use, health problems, social problems, availability and supply of drugs) are linked with discussion on related societal interventions (preventive work, treatment, harm reduction, social rehabilitation, control). The selected issues discussed in part B are (1) Gender differencies, (2) European Drug policies: extended beyond illicit drugs? (3) Developments in drug use within recreational settings.

The Drug Policy Action Programme 2004 - 2007 (2004) has only one direct reference to alcohol. Direct references to tobacco are also scarce. Doping substances are not mentioned at all. This is partly due to the legislation and administrative structures related to the co-ordination of different substances. Ministry of Social Affairs and Health administrate the first three substances. In Finland, the abuse of alcohol, pharmaceuticals or drugs is referred to as substance abuse. These so called intoxicants include tobacco but not doping substances. The connections between programmes, substances and related interventions are grounded on this concept.

In 1995–2001, all indicators (experimentation, problem use, health problems, morbidity, mortality, criminality and seizures) suggested that the drug situation was aggravating. As for 2001–2003, however, nearly all indicators show clear signs of a weakening of the trend. Problem use is the only exception in the time period as it increased slightly in 2001–2002. During 2004 the same trend continues except the figures in the mortality which started again to increase. In the late 1990s, drug experimentation and harm increased particularly in the youngest age group (aged 15–24). On entering the 2000s, the trend seems to be evening out in this age group, but instead there is some increase among 25–34-year-olds. At the core of anti-drug activities have been the establishment of drug prevention and youth workshop networks, addition of drug prevention sections in school curricula, enhancement of low threshold and substitution treatment, investments in health counselling centres, development of drug treatment in prisons, and introduction of new control methods.

According to the most recent data, those who had used drugs during the past year accounted for about 3% and problem users for about 0.5 % of the adult population (aged 15–64). Some 7% of schoolchildren (aged 15–16) had used drugs during the past year. The 15–24 age group had the highest level of both use (12%) and problem use (0.9–1.3%). The same age group also showed the highest figures in drug-related harm (drug-related diseases and deaths, or drug treatment clients). But there are some signs of change in the figures, evening out among those under 25 and increasing among those over 25. As in the year 2004, anti-drug activities have focused on drug prevention at schools, early intervention in young people at risk of exclusion; increasing the regional coverage of substitution treatment and health counselling; networking in street-level control and social work (among drug use offenders) and developing care for those released from prison.

The main gender differences in drug use are: girls start experimenting with illicit drugs even at an earlier age than boys do; after the age of 25 women’s drug use decreases much more rapidly than men’s drug use; women in general use drugs much less than men do. On the other hand, among severely excluded substance abusers, the differences that come with age are not so drastic. Gender-specific interventions are mostly related to gender specific facilities and to a specific groups such as prostitutes and mothers.

STAKES - Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health
Mr. Ari Virtanen (Senior Planning Officer), tel. +358 9 3967 2378

04/07/2006

Ari Virtanen (ed)

research

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Health, Social services