Risk of premature death nine-fold among illicit drug users

Premature deaths are almost nine times more common among illicit drug users than among the general Finnish population, shows a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. The excess mortality is especially pronounced among female drug users, according to findings presented by Ifeoma Onyeka, MSc, in her doctoral dissertation. The most common causes of death were accidental overdose and suicide. The risk for all-cause death was the highest among intravenous drug users.