COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CN) — In Denmark, it has not been historically common for people to use pain-relieving pills such as oxycodone or anti-anxiety medication like Xanax as recreational drugs. But that has changed, according to a new documentary.
In the series “Totally Gone on Pills” and “Pills from Hell,” the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, or DR, reveals that opioids and benzodiazepines are readily available on the market, and that a lot of young people have either taken the pills or seen friends do so.
DR also conducted a telephone survey asking national rehabilitation and treatment facilities whether there were more people under 30 seeking help for an opioid addiction. Forty out of 47 said yes.
This summer, the Ministry for the Interior and Health of Denmark found that about a quarter of all municipalities reported an increase in youth consumption of opioids. They recommended increasing political awareness of the issue.
"It is deeply worrying that we are now seeing an increase in the abuse of opioids among children and young people in several of the country's municipalities," Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard said.
The problem has not reached the levels seen in the United States, however.
The Danish Health Authority does not estimate an epidemic in the increased use of opioids and recently referred to the problem as “limited to a relatively small group.”
"We can see a small increase in the proportion of young people between the ages of 18-24 who are enrolled in substance abuse treatment with tramadol, oxycodone, etc., as the main substance for their abuse — an increase from 2.4% to 3.5% from 2019 to 2021," a statement on the health authority's website says.
But recent testimonials from teenagers and young adults have sparked national debate.
In the DR documentary, 21-year-old Victor and his parents explain how he went into rehab after having used 10 benzodiazepine pills a day and suffering six overdoses. He initially thought the pills would solve his problems, insecurities and inhibitions in social settings.
“You would rather have them than the ones you love. It is scary,” he said about the pills.
Another anonymous opioid addict told fellow young drug users to seek professional help, as he didn't want them to end up like him. He explained that he lived in a prison and felt “useless” without the pills.
Legally, the pills require a doctor’s prescription, but they have become widely available via social media, bars or kiosks. Addicted users describe how they can spend hundreds of dollars on the medications every month.
Antidote, a nongovernmental organization of doctors, nurses and volunteers working with drug abuse prevention in Denmark, describes how opioids, which are related to heroin, target receptors in the brain’s central nervous system in a way that lowers pain or anxiety signals and inhibits breathing. Therefore, an overdose can be extremely dangerous.
They are also highly addictive. Immediately after use, the body and brain will start developing a need for the drug's effects.
Michael Lodberg, an Antidote leader in Denmark, told DR that “previously, only the hardcore drug users took it. Now it is everyone, and typically young people.” He called getting access to opioids as easy as ordering a pizza.
Children and young adults between the ages of 12 and 20 claim that the pills give them an opportunity to escape from stress and pressure associated with everyday life and school performance. When they try to quit, many experience a feeling of numbness or a black hole inside. Some suffer delayed effects such as long-term memory loss or speech issues.
Every month, the Danish Police’s Special Crime Unit arrests and sentences people trying to smuggle drugs across the border. In the DR documentary, customs authorities report how they find packages daily with large quantities of drugs, including benzodiazepines and tramadol. The latter is now illegal in the country.
Legal and abuse spokespersons from several political parties now support stricter legislation to scare dealers away from selling to minors. Currently, there is only a fine but not prison time if someone is caught with fewer than 3,000 pills.
Treatment facilities and rehabilitation centers all over the country recommend more dialogue about the issue. They warn that because opioids come in a pill form, the type of drug often appears more “innocent” than hard drugs like cocaine or ecstasy.
"There is a need to follow this area closely so that abuse does not run rampant," Hummelgaard said. "The government will therefore, together with the relevant authorities, look at new initiatives to combat the abuse of opioids among children and young people."
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
