The Medical Director of SÁÁ (National Centre of Addiction Medicine) fears that 2023 could see a record number of addiction-related deaths. Among former clients of the Vogur detox centre and rehabilitation hospital, thirty-five people have died so far this year, RÚV reports. The Minister of Health says that action must be taken.
Thirty-five addiction-related deaths this year
As reported by RÚV yesterday, 35 people struggling with substance use have died so far this year. Dr. Valgerður Rúnarsdóttir, the Medical Director of SÁÁ (National Centre of Addiction Medicine), fears that a record number of deaths could occur this year.
As noted by RÚV, social media has been abuzz with rumours about drug-related deaths recently, with some rumours suggesting that 15 people have died from addiction-related problems in the past two weeks, while others maintain that there have been 36 addictio-related deaths since the start of the year.
No confirmed figures for this period are available from the Directorate of Health, which collects statistics on causes of death in Iceland. It is, however, known that thirty-five former clients of the Vogur detox centre and rehabilitation hospital – aged fifty and younger – have died this year.
“We know that these people are struggling with addiction, and there is every chance that these deaths are related to their addiction, Valgerður Rúnarsdóttir, the Medical Director of SÁÁ (National Centre of Addiction Medicine), told RÚV.
Read More: In Harm’s Way (Opioid Addiction in Iceland)
When asked if these figures, which have done the rounds on social media, were accurate, Valgerður responded thusly: “Yes, I think these figures are real. But I hope that they don’t reflect an ongoing trend for the rest of 2023.
Valgerður fears that if this trend continues, many more people will die this year than when compared to the last five. It is difficult to say what explains the rising numbers.
“However, we know that there is a large increase in opioid addiction, especially among this younger group. It is a very dangerous addiction. These strong painkillers, Oxycontin and Contalgin, which are primarily being used in Iceland, they’re extremely lethal.”
Harm reduction
Frú Ragnheiður is a specially-equipped medical reception vehicle that cruises the capital area six evenings a week and operates according to the philosophy of “harm reduction.” It focuses on the consequences and risks of drug abuse over abstinence. The past few days have seen an uptick in the number of people seeking Frú Ragnheiður’s services, according to Hafrún Elísa Sigurðardóttir, harm reduction team leader at the Red Cross.
“People are scared and want to be informed. We try to educate our clients as much as we can regarding dose sizes and the effects that these substances have on users. We also encourage them to carry Naloxone (a drug designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose) with them at all times,” Hafrún told RÚV.
Rumours on social media have also claimed that there are now substances in circulation where the morphine-related drug Fentanyl is being mixed with other substances, such as LSD, Oxycontin, and cocaine. Such drugs have proven extremely dangerous, for example, in the United States.
Hafrún told RÚV that it was impossible to confirm that such substances were in circulation, but that the team at Frú Ragnheiður was concerned. As were its clients.
“We need to listen”
When asked to respond to the rising number of addiction-related deaths, Minister of Health Willum Þór Þórsson told RÚV that it was “sad.”
“We have to listen. Something in our society is changing. It’s obvious,” Willum observed.
The minister also stated that more needed to be done. For example, the withdrawal treatment provided at the Vogur detox centre and rehabilitation hospital needed to be strengthened.
“We have been talking about decriminalisation for a long time. I think we need to go a step further in harm reduction measures; we have discussed morphine clinics. It is an obvious prevention against the risk of infection and a great support for people to have a consumption space. We need to find a place for that.”
