Denmark launches campaign to help parents talk to their teens in bid to curb opioid abuse

Published on 11/06/2025 - 17:30 GMT+2

“If you cognize a young personification who you deliberation is taking opioids, you request to return action”.

That’s nan cardinal connection Denmark wants parents to support successful mind arsenic portion of its caller run to get them to talk pinch their teenage children astir nan consequence of opioids, a mini but increasing nationalist wellness threat successful nan Nordic country.

The Danish wellness authority and nan metropolis of Copenhagen launched nan run this week aft discovering successful a February study that 47 per cent of parents do not cognize capable astir opioids to talk to their children astir them.

The run offers proposal from teenagers and experts connected really to talk to young group astir opioids, which see immoderate types of medicine painkillers arsenic good arsenic heroin and fentanyl, an ultra-potent synthetic opioid.

It says parents should broach nan taxable successful a casual way, group clear expectations, and debar becoming preachy aliases upset.

“With nan caller campaign, we will amended equip parents and different adults astir young group to talk astir opioids – and show them really important a domiciled they play for young people,” Jonas Egebart, head of nan Danish wellness authority, said successful a statement.

New attack to a increasing problem

Parental outreach is 1 plank of a authorities scheme announced past twelvemonth to forestall young group from abusing opioids, which has been a increasing nationalist wellness problem successful Denmark successful caller years.

While immoderate group return opioids legally – for example, crab patients who are prescribed painkillers – they tin quickly lead to addiction, which successful move tin person deadly consequences.

From 2018 to 2023, nan number of Danes aged 25 aliases younger who were hospitalised because of an opioid overdose roseate from 142 to 239 – a 68 per cent increase.

In 2023, nan state reported 116 opioid-related deaths, mostly tied to methadone and heroin, authorities information shows.

Denmark’s caller attack to opioids includes a scope of measures. People caught successful possession of aliases trading nan narcotics were antecedently slapped pinch a fine, but nether nan authorities scheme they could beryllium sent to jail.

The state is besides boosting its supplier surveillance and will return steps to amended curen options for group struggling pinch addiction.