Overview

• Germany recorded 2,137 drug overdose fatalities in 2024, 90 fewer than in 2023 but still at historically high levels
• Deaths among users under 30 rose by 14 percent, underscoring growing vulnerabilities in younger age groups
• Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl were implicated in 342 deaths, accounting for 16 percent of all overdose fatalities
• Most lethal cases involved poly-drug consumption, with cocaine/crack, heroin and cannabis frequently found in combination
• Authorities report that toxicological analyses were missing in about half of fatal cases, prompting calls for a comprehensive early warning system