PROFILES Home
Search

Finland

Country Map
Country Map
Contents
English | Suomi

Contents

Drug use among the general population and young people
Socio-demographic overview
Prevention
Problem drug use
Treatment demand
Drug-related infectious diseases
Drug-related deaths
Treatment responses
Harm reduction responses
Drug markets and drug-related offences
National drug laws
National drug strategy
Coordination mechanism in the field of drugs

     
Short info
Country situation summary (CSS)
A Country situation summary (CSS) is a concise, standard-format overview (4-5 pages) of the drug situation in a specific European country. Based on a single template for all countries, Country situation summaries provide an at-a-glance overview of key recent developments in a country's drug situation. They are updated each year by the EMCDDA's national focal points. Note that detailed analytical reports (approx 100 pages) are also available for each country, see national Reports.
   
National focal point in Finland

The Finnish FP is located within STAKES (National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health), a governmental research institute. STAKES produces information and know-how in the field of welfare and health and forwards them to decision-makers and other actors in the field. As a centre of expertise overseen by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, STAKES bases its functions on research, development and information resources.

Sosiaali ja terveysalan tutkimus ja kehittämiskeskus
National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health
PO Box 220
SF-00531 Helsinki
(Office: Lintulahdenkuja, 4, SF- 00530 Helsinki)
Tel: +358 9 3967 2378
Fax: +358 9 3967 2499
Head of Focal point: Ms Sanna Rönkä
Email: Sanna.ronka[a]stakes.fi

E-mail addresses have been inserted in a way discouraging spam. Please replace [a] by @ before actually using any of the e-mail addresses. 		Further reading
External links
Country situation summary

Finland


 

Year

Finland

EU (25 countries)

Source

Population

 2005 5,236,600 461,478,700

Eurostat

GDP per capita in PPS

(Purchasing Power Standards) (1)

 2005 113.3 100

Eurostat

Inequality of income distribution (2)

 2005 3.5 4.8 (s)

Eurostat

Unemployment rate

2005 8.4 % 8.8%

Eurostat

Prison population rate
(per 100.000 of national population)

 2004 71 Range in the EU including Norway (26 countries) based on data from 2003-2005: 50-339

Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics
(s) Eurostat estimate.
(1) Gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of economic activity. It is defined as the value of all goods and services produced less the value of any goods or services used in their creation. The volume index of GDP per capita in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) is expressed in relation to the European Union (EU25) average set to equal 100. If the index of a country is higher than 100, this country's level of GDP per head is higher than the EU average and vice versa.
(2) The ratio of total income received by the 20 % of the population with the highest income (top quintile) to that received by the 20 % of the population with the lowest income (lowest quintile). Income must be understood as equivalised disposable income.

back to top


Drug use among the general population and young people


The most recent general population survey on drug use was conducted in Finland in 2004 among persons aged 15-69 by means of a postal questionnaire (Hakkarainen and Metso, 2005). Among persons aged 15-64, 12.9% reported that they had used cannabis at least once in their lives. For other drugs, the percentage for lifetime prevalence ranged from 0.3% for heroin to 1.9% for amphetamines, while percentages for the 15-34 age group were higher. Lifetime prevalence rates for all other illegal drugs were below 1%. Comparable population surveys were conducted in 2002, 1998 and 1996.

Comparing these with the results of the 2004 study, the main changes are an increase in abuse of pharmaceuticals (hypnotics, sedatives) and, since 1998, an increase in use of amphetamines and ecstasy. Lifetime prevalence has been affected by a demographic shift during the last decade: the older age group which in general had no experience with illegal drugs has been replaced by a younger generation reporting drug use. Among people under the age of 20, prevalence rates increased from 1992 to 1998 yet remained relatively stable in 2002 and 2004.
 
ESPAD surveys conducted in Finland among 15-16 year olds reveal that experimentation nearly doubled between 1995 and 1999 (lifetime experimentation of any illegal drugs was 5% and 10% respectively). However, the most recent national figures on drug use among young people, based on the 2003 ESPAD survey, reported a lifetime prevalence of 11%. With respect to individual drugs no significant changes were reported when comparing the 2003 ESPAD results with those from 1999, with the exception of lifetime use of marijuana and hashish which increased slightly by 1% from 10% in 1999 to 11% in 2003. These results suggest a stabilisation in levels of experimentation.

In Finland, school health surveys are conducted regionally. In 2002 a survey was carried out in Southern Finland, Eastern Finland and the Province of Lapland. Among 15-16 year olds, 10.9% reported lifetime prevalence, a decline of 0.3% from results in 2000. The highest level of experimentation was found in Southern Finland and the Province of Lapland (11-14%). Health surveys conducted in the Province of Western Finland and Oulu in 2003, 2001 and 1999 seem to indicate a stabilisation of experimentation with illegal drugs in different parts of Finland.

Related links

back to top


Socio-demographic overview


  Year Finland   EU Source

Unemployment rate of population aged less than 25 years

 2005 20.1%

18.6%

Eurostat

Percentage of the population aged 20-24 having completed at least upper secondary education

 2005 83.4%

77.4%

Eurostat

Children aged 0-17 living in jobless households (1)

 2005 6.6%

9.7%(e)

Eurostat
(p) Estimated value.
(1) The indicator Children aged 0-17 years living in jobless households is calculated as a share of persons aged 0-17 who are living in households where no one is working.

back to top


Prevention


School-based prevention is focused at all school levels. Drug education is part of mandatory health education, yet is also offered in the context of non-mandatory counselling delivered in schools by health and social services. All schools have a drug strategy as part of their ‘student welfare plan’, comprising guidelines for drug prevention and drug-related problems, together with information on co-operation and networking with local stakeholders. Schools also participate in multi-faceted municipal prevention projects, which are core to the national prevention strategy. Selective prevention is mostly targeted at vulnerable youths and is receiving growing attention.
 
Individual schools can decide independently on methods to achieve nationally-set objectives on drug education and prevention. However, they do not systematically report on their efforts. Specific prevention programs offered by external stakeholders are implemented in a minority of schools. The most popular approaches are knowledge transfer, experimental pedagogy, personal and life skills education, affective education and alternatives to drug use. Available data on school-based prevention is limited mainly to those prevention programs offered by external parties, which are regularly evaluated. Evaluation of prevention activities carried out individually by schools is rare, yet one-off events – workshops, demonstrations, drama – remain popular. As there is considerable autonomy at municipal and school level, a unified approach based on state-of-the-art knowledge is likely only to gain ground slowly. Nonetheless, ongoing work for creating and implementing national quality criteria for drug and alcohol prevention is expected to speed this process.

Related links

back to top


Problem drug use (*)


Estimates on the number of problem drug users in Finland include problem amphetamine and opiate users because amphetamines are the most commonly injected drug in Finland, as opposed to many other European countries where heroin is the main drug injected. National estimates carried out in Finland in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 were based on the capture-recapture method (based on three (1997) and four (1998-2002) sources of data). In 2002 the rate of problem drug users was estimated at 6.5 users per 1000 inhabitants aged 15-55. Compared to 1999 the number of problem drug users, especially opiate users, has increased. A separate analysis by region shows that the greatest proportion of problem users resides in Greater Helsinki, followed by Southern Finland.

(*) The EMCDDA defines problem drug use as intravenous drug use (IDU) or long duration/regular drug use of opiates, cocaine and/or amphetamines. Ecstasy and cannabis are not included in this category.

Related links

back to top


Treatment demand

In 2004, the drug treatment information system included data from about half of all drug-specialised services for drug users (in-and outpatient services) and also low threshold services, GPs and prison healthcare units. In terms of primary substances, the majority of new clients entering treatment reported cannabis (42%), while 30.9% used stimulants (mainly amphetamines) and 17.8% opiates. Among new clients entering treatment, 33% were registered as current injectors (compared to 44% in 1998). The proportion of those who were current injectors among clients of outpatient units whose main route of administration was injecting was 39% among opiate users and 25% among stimulant users.

Related links

back to top


Drug-related infectious diseases


The National Public Health Institute in Finland operates the national HIV registry. In 2004, the registry recorded 129 cases of HIV infections (compared to 132 cases in 2003) of which 7% were attributed to injecting drug use. In 1997 this proportion was 3% of HIV infection diagnosed in the country, rising to 60% in 1999; the proportion has decreased since. In addition, several local studies have been conducted. For example, the seroprevalence of HIV among clients in Helsinki-based health counselling units was below 2.7% in 2004 based on mandatory testing.

In 2004, 1238 (1265 in 2003) hepatitis C cases were diagnosed, in half of which the means of transmission was reported. 80% of the cases are estimated to have been contracted through intravenous drug use. In 2004, 58 hepatitis B cases were diagnosed, in half of which the mean of transmission was reported. 8 cases were attributed to injecting drug use.

Related links

back to top


Drug-related deaths

The General Mortality register and the special registry provide data on drug-related deaths in Finland. Data from the special registry is based on forensic toxicological examinations that must be conducted in case of an unexpected or sudden death. The data from both registries on drug-related deaths are also available as drug-related death standards, a standard protocol for extracting data on drug-related deaths from registers in EU Member States. According to the DRD standard definition for the General Mortality registries, there were 135 drug related deaths in 2004. A total of 74 drug related deaths were registered in 2004 based on the DRD Standard definition for special registries.

Compared to previous years (67 in 2003), the number of deaths have generally decreased since 2000 but increased from 2003 to 2004. In particular, the number of heroin-related deaths increased in the late 1990s, especially among young people, but has since decreased rapidly. According to the General Mortality register, 40% of drug-related deaths in 2000 involved people under 25 years of age. This trend has since levelled off and in 2004 the proportion of drug-related deaths which involved persons under the age of 25 years decreased to 18 % An increase has been observed with regard to buprenorphine-related deaths, which was the most common opiate finding in forensic autopsies in 2004.

Related links

back to top


Treatment responses

The description of drug treatment in Finland should take into account that alcohol abuse is a much greater problem in Finland than misuse of illicit drugs. Thus there are more generic addiction treatment facilities (to which problem users of illicit drugs have access) than specific facilities, and this is the case for both outpatient and inpatient facilities.
Methadone was introduced in Finland in 1974 and buprenorphine became available in 1997.In 2005, 700-750 persons were estimated to be in substitution treatment and two-thirds of the clients were treated with buprenorphine. Substitution treatment is typically provided through specialised units although General Practitioners can provide this, and a few actually do.
Some treatment units also offer after-care services and former clients are then assisted by the general social and health service system (relating to housing, education and employment). These are mostly run in cooperation with municipal authorities. As part of the national drug treatment information system at STAKES, client data are collected on a voluntary and anonymous basis by the centres for prevention and treatment of illegal drug addiction. There is no other monitoring system or register of clients in treatment.

Related links

back to top

Harm reduction responses


Harm reduction responses in Finland include outreach work and low-threshold services. In particular the number of low-threshold day centres has increased in Finland in recent years. These services cater for problem drug users and offer guidance and free activities, referral to treatment and in some cases health services. Outreach work in Finland mainly involves street patrols, with the aim of mediating between drug users and the official care system.
In 1998, when the HIV epidemic began among Finnish drug users, public attention focused on preventing diseases transmitted by injecting drug users. Since 1997 health counselling centres for drug users have been expanded throughout the country. Centres provide information on drug-related diseases and risks such as overdoses, needle exchange as well as testing and vaccinations. However, there is some variation in service provision depending on the facilities. In 2004, there were 20 health counselling centres that exchange needles and syringes to prevent infectious diseases in 23 localities, mainly in cities with over 50,000 inhabitants.

Needle exchange programmes are provided by specialised services. In total there were 23 needle exchange programmes in Finland located in 20 cities in 2004. Most of the cities have one programme providing services at one premises, with the exception of some larger cities such as Helsinki where there are four programmes or premises. Needle and syringes can also be purchased without medical prescription at most pharmacies in Finland.

Related links

back to top


Drug markets and drug-related offences


Due to the low supply of heroin from Afghanistan in 2001 buprenorphine appeared on the illegal market in Finland. In addition to the direct sea connection between Finland and Estonia, smuggling takes place from Estonia via Sweden and the Åland Islands to Finland. Amphetamines and buprenorphine are smuggled via Estonia and Russia. The supply of hashish mainly originates in Morocco and reaches the Finnish market via Spain, the Nordic and Baltic countries.
The low supply of heroin is also reflected in the number of heroin seizures made. From 2001 to 2004, the number of heroin seizures decreased by 92%. The number of seizures of cannabis products and buprenorphine has not varied much in the 21st century. Among cannabis products, the number of marijuana and cannabis plant seizures has grown appreciably. The number of seizures of amphetamines nonetheless constituted the highest number of seizures in 2004 compared to other illegal drugs.
 
In relation to the number of drug offences, the total number of offences (including different types of offences, see paragraph on national drug laws) increased between 1996 and 2001, declined in 2002 by 7%, increased by 8% in 2003 and declined again by 4% in 2004. According to the data from the National Bureau of Investigation in Finland, the largest group of drug related offences consists of drug user offences (drug use, possession or purchase or specified drug user offences).

Related links

back to top


National drug laws


The central framework for drug legislation is based on the Narcotics Act. The provision of drug offences is laid down in chapter 50 of the Penal Code. Use of drugs as well as possession of small amount of drugs for own use constitutes a drug-user offence, punishable by a fine or maximum six months' imprisonment. Drug offences include the possession, the manufacturing, growing, smuggling, selling and dealing of drugs. The penalties for a drug offence range from a fine to a maximum of two years' imprisonment.
 
Prosecution and punishment for drug use and possession of small amounts of drugs can be waived if the offence is considered insignificant or if the suspect has sought treatment specified by the Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

There is no specific offence of dealing or trafficking, but the type of offence may change from a drug offence to an aggravated drug offence. Aggravating circumstances for a drug offence include for example, substances considered as ’very dangerous’; large quantities of drugs; considerable financial profit; or if the offender acts as a member of a group organised for the extensive commission of such an offence. This will increase the penalty range to between one and ten years' imprisonment..

Related links

back to top


National drug strategy


Based on previous actions – the National Drug Strategy 1997, the Decision-in-Principle on Drug Policy 1998, the Action Plan (2001-2003) – the Finnish government has conceived a Resolution On a Drug Policy Action Programme in Finland for 2004-2007. The Government continues its work against drugs and drug use in accordance with the specific resolutions made in 1998 and 2000. In its drug policy strategies the Government stresses the importance of continuing and developing long-term work, increasing co-operation between various actors, and of a uniform drug policy approach with balanced and compatible measures to reduce drug demand and supply. In the action programme the Government has defined, as a special objective for the years 2004-2007, an action to address those topical drug problems where the solution requires co-operation of a new type between the competent authorities.

Related links

back to top


Coordination mechanism in the field of drugs


In 1999, the government set up the National Drug Policy Co-ordination group, composed of representatives from all involved Ministries. This group has the task of coordinating national drug policy and intensifying collaboration between authorities in their effort to implement and monitor the Drug Action Plan 2004-2007. The Action Plan was completed at the beginning of 2004.

There is no national coordinator but the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is the main organisation responsible for drug policy coordination at central level, and every Ministry is given its own competence described in their specific action plan. In addition to the coordination group, the Advisory Committee on Intoxicant and Temperance Affairs acts as an advisory body and discussion forum on alcohol and drug issues. This Advisory Committee consists of politicians and members of NGOs.

Related links

back to top