SVT has taken a closer look at how many young people die from drugs.

In the group 15-29 years, just as for drug addiction in general, mortality has risen significantly since the early 1990s.

- In the early 90s, there were a couple of hundred cases a year.

Today it is around 900 cases a year.

Of these 900 deaths, perhaps 15 percent occur in the younger category, says Björn Johnson who is a professor of social work at Malmö University.

More opioids and more mixes

Opioids are present in the majority of overdoses.

The substance group with morphine-like effects is found both in the form of street drugs such as heroin and in drugs such as tramadol and methadone.

- We have had a long-term trend of increasing opioid abuse, using heroin and other opioids, including opioid drugs, says Björn Johnson.

And the combination of opioids and anti-anxiety benzodiazepines is a particularly common cause of death.

- Opioids are mixed to a greater extent with other, depressant substances, which is a very dangerous combination, says Björn Johnson.

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One of Sweden's most common overdoses - this happens in the body Photo: Storyblocks

Tramadol common among young people

SVT has been in contact with all 95 local police areas around the country.

Almost half of them state that the opioid tramadol is one of the drugs that has increased the most in circulation in the last five years.

- Even though tramadol is a weaker opioid, it is something that has become very common among young people today.

If more young people start using tramadol, it could be a way into heavier opioid use, says Torkel Richert, who is an associate professor of social work, also at Malmö University.

Torkel Richert warns that the death toll may therefore increase again.

In that case, it would risk reversing the weakly positive trend seen in the group of young people in recent years.

There is a consistent picture that the decline in death rates is due to the fact that the very strong opioid fentanyl has largely disappeared from the market, following a couple of notable judgments against sellers.

- The fentanyl deaths were special because they often occurred in the younger age group among people who may not have had such extensive substance abuse problems, says Björn Johnson.