33 young people have died from overdoses in the last five years

- It is very difficult to speculate as to why, but I took some time and discussed with my colleagues about the deaths we come across.

This may be because there was a good supply of fentanyl in Växjö with local manufacturing and distribution, says Rizana Mustedanagic, head of the adult department responsible for substance abuse care in Växjö municipality.

- We do not have other treatment methods than, for example, Kalmar.

Few deaths in Kalmar municipality

Kalmar municipality is not on the list and thus has three or fewer deaths - something the treatment assistant Johan Hjulström at the Prevention Team in Kalmar attributes an offensive way of working with young people, even before they have started testing drugs.

- We work actively to be out in the field and as soon as we discover young people in the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the wrong company, we sound the alarm to parents.

Then we step home and knock on the door, and often we get a very good meeting.

Overall, however, Kalmar County has more deaths from overdoses among young people than Kronoberg County during the time period (see fact box).

Nybro municipality is also on the list of municipalities that have had more than three deaths among young people in drug overdoses during the period, with its four cases.

A globalized drug market

In the latest school survey by CAN (Central Association for Alcohol and Drug Information), the so-called substance index shows that ninth-graders in Kalmar County to a greater extent than in many other counties state that they use alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

- We live in a globalized society where celebrities on social media advocate drugs and a drug market where you can order medicines from India and Thailand quickly online.

If you combine all this, you can say that young people are more exposed to drugs today, says Johan Hjulström.