Most People in Finland Aged Under 30 Know Someone Who Uses Drugs

According to a survey carried out by the Finnish Institute for Health and Wellness THL, most Finnish citizens who are under 35 years old know at least one person who uses drugs. The survey also discovered that more than a third of Finns have been offered drugs for use or purchase.

The THL survey has been repeated every four years since 1992, questioned 3229 Finns aged between 15 and 69. It has found that 79% of people support establishing services like health counselling points for drug users; while 65% approved the use of substitute drugs to treat opioid dependence.

In the latest 2018 drugs study 19% of respondents feared being subjected to violence because of other people’s drug use. That’s down from 40% at the beginning of the millennium.

More radical measures to help reduce drug use like ‘safe rooms’ where users can go to get clean needles and take drugs in a safer environment, are supported by only around 50% of the population. But Professor Hakkarainen says that “Finns also seem ready to adopt new measures to reduce drug harm.”

Almost everyone who took part in the survey – 90% – approved workplace drug testing.

Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol in a workplace environment can lead to inconsistent work quality, poor concentration and carelessness. It can be extremely dangerous, especially in a company where employees drive, work directly with consumers, and operate machinery. Randox Toxicology’s Evidence MutliSTAT analyser utilises Biochip Array Technology for the simultaneous detection of a broad range of drugs. Covering prescription, classical and synthetic drugs the Evidence MultiSTAT also screens for ETG (ethyl glucuronide), the broken-down ethanol product to detect alcohol in the employee’s system.

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