{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]],"date-time":"2026-09-12T17:50:29Z","timestamp":1789235429881,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Danish Medical Association","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dan Med J"],"abstract":"<jats:p>INTRODUCTION. The patterns of drug use and causes of fatal poisonings among persons who use drugs (PWUD) have been reported every fifth year since 1991 by the Danish Departments of Forensic Medicine. The present study aimed to describe these patterns in 2022.\n\nMETHODS. All fatal poisonings among PWUD undergoing legal autopsy at the three Departments of Forensic Medicine in Denmark in 2022 were included in the study.\n\nRESULTS. The number of fatal poisonings among PWUD was 199. The median age was 42 years and 23% were female. Heroin\/morphine and methadone were the most frequent main intoxicants, responsible for 22% and 37% of the poisonings, respectively. However, the proportion of deaths caused by other opioids and central stimulants has increased compared to previous years. Oxycodone deaths increased tenfold to 6% from 0.6% in 2017. Cocaine and amphetamine caused 11% and 4.5% of fatal poisonings, respectively. Methadone remained the most frequently detected drug, followed by cocaine, tetrahydrocannabinol, clonazepam and heroin\/morphine, detected in 52%, 45%, 37%, 35% and 26% of cases, respectively. Tramadol and oxycodone were most frequently detected among PWUD aged 15-25 years.\n\nCONCLUSIONS. Our findings indicate an increasing diversity of opioids causing fatal poisonings in PWUD and a rising detection rate and proportion of deaths linked to central stimulants.\n\nFUNDING. None.\n\nTRIAL REGISTRATION. Not relevant.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.61409\/a03250147","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,31]],"date-time":"2025-10-31T09:05:11Z","timestamp":1761901511000},"page":"1-10","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Fatal poisoning among people who use drugs in Denmark in 2022"],"prefix":"10.61409","author":[{"given":"Charlotte Uggerh\u00f8j","family":"Andersen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simon Kj\u00e6r","family":"Hermansen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kristine Boisen","family":"Olsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kristian","family":"Linnet","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kirsten Wiese","family":"Simonsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"40208","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","unstructured":"Danish Ministry of Justice. [Circular letter on the performance of statutory autopsy in cases of deaths suspected of being related to the abuse of euphoric substances]. Danish Ministry of Justice, 1970. www.retsinformation.dk\/eli\/mt\/1970\/254 (Aug 2025)"},{"key":"ref1","unstructured":"European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). European drug report 2024: trends and developments. www.euda.europa.eu\/publications\/european-drug-report\/2024_en (Aug 2025)"},{"key":"ref2","unstructured":"National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drug overdose deaths: facts and figures. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2024. https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/research-topics\/trends-statistics\/overdose-death-rates (Aug 2025)"},{"key":"ref3","unstructured":"Danish Health Authority. [Survey on young people on use of opioids and benzodiazepines]. www.sst.dk\/-\/media\/Udgivelser\/2024\/Stoffer\/Undersoegelse-blandt-unge-om-brug-af-opioider-og-benzodiazepiner.ashx (Aug 2025)"},{"key":"ref4","unstructured":"Danish Ministry of Taxation. 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Forens Sci Int Rep. 2025;11:100408 https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.fsir.2025.100408","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsir.2025.100408"},{"key":"ref7","unstructured":"Steentoft A, Kaa E, Simonsen KW, et al. [Deaths among drug addicts in Denmark: a forensic medical study of deaths among drug addicts during the period 1991-1992 related to the period 1984-1985]. Ugeskr L\u00e6ger. 1994;156:6215-6219"},{"key":"ref8","unstructured":"Steentoft A, Simonsen KW, Kringsholm B, et al. [Fatal intoxications among drug addicts in Denmark in 1997]. Ugeskr L\u00e6ger. 2000;162:5205-5208"},{"key":"ref9","unstructured":"Steentoft A, Kringsholm B, Hansen AC, et al. [Fatal poisonings among drug addicts in Denmark in 2002]. Ugeskr L\u00e6ger. 2005;167(18):1954-1957"},{"key":"ref10","unstructured":"Simonsen KW, Hansen AC, Rollmann D, et al. Drug-related death in Denmark 2007. Dan Med Bull. 2011;58(8):A4307"},{"key":"ref11","unstructured":"Simonsen KW, Christoffersen DJ, Banner J, et al. 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Danish Medicines Agency, 2022. https:\/\/laegemiddelstyrelsen.dk\/da\/nyheder\/2022\/bekendtgoerelse-om-euforiserende-stoffer-7-nye-stoffer-tilfoejet-inkl-tramadol\/ (Aug 2025)"}],"container-title":["Danish Medical Journal"],"original-title":[],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,20]],"date-time":"2025-11-20T12:02:22Z","timestamp":1763640142000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/ugeskriftet.dk\/dmj\/A03250147"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]},"references-count":18,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.61409\/a03250147","relation":{},"ISSN":["2245-1919"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2245-1919","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]}}}