Drug and alcohol crisis in Salzburg: 15 deaths in 2024 amid rising cocaine use
The authorities in Salzburg reported 15 drug-related deaths in 2024 as part of a general increase in addiction cases, according to the state's annual addiction report. Alcohol remains the most common form of addiction, while the use of cocaine and gambling has seen a significant increase over the past two years.
Cocaine has become the focus of interest in nearly half of addiction counseling sessions, which is double the rate recorded a decade ago. However, cannabis (marijuana) remains the most commonly used drug in treatment sessions, indicating its continued prevalence among users.
Pathological gambling has seen a significant increase, with 35 people seeking help in 2024 due to gambling problems, and 150 new cases recorded at the Institut für Glücksspiel & Abhängigkeit (Institute for Gambling and Addiction). Local government member Wolfgang Vorweger confirmed that gambling problems increasingly affect young people and low-income men, calling for enhanced prevention and awareness programs.
Alcohol remains the most common cause of addiction in Salzburg, with 686 people receiving treatment in 2024, and the percentage of men was 73% of the cases. It seems that alcohol abuse increases with age, as 58 cases were recorded in the age group of 20-29 years compared to 184 cases among people aged 50-59 years.
The report also praised the new field programs and mobile treatment services, such as the baseCamp mobil project, which conducted over 1,100 field contacts and 500 counseling sessions last year, in addition to distributing 340,000 clean injection kits. The Salzburg AIDS Help Organization contributed an additional 15,000 kits to support harm reduction efforts.