Nearly 30 percent more drug-related emergencies involving minors were recorded in Vienna in 2024. Overall, the number of ambulance deployments due to drug overdoses rose by around 15 percent compared to the previous year. This is based on data provided by Vienna’s emergency medical services department (MA 70) to APA. According to Mario Krammel, chief physician of the city’s professional rescue service, there has been “a steady increase,” especially among younger patients.
Specifically, incidents involving patients under 18 rose from 231 to 297. Among adults, cases increased from 2,224 to 2,512, and among people whose age could not be verified, from 506 to 597. For adults, the increase was slightly below the overall trend; for cases with no verified age, slightly above. There were 2,831 ambulance calls due to medication-related intoxications, a rise of over four percent, though among minors there was a drop of over 7.5 percent.
Polydrug intoxications a growing concern
While most medication-related cases stemmed from misuse or suicide attempts, illicit drug cases are increasingly linked to opioids, sometimes in combination with party drugs such as liquid ecstasy—especially among younger patients, said Krammel. Other forms of polydrug use have sadly also become “a frequent and unfortunate reality” in emergency services, often involving life-threatening situations.
Krammel advised anyone suspecting an overdose to call the emergency number 144 immediately. “An operator will stay on the phone and provide instructions on what to do until help arrives,” he said. Common symptoms include confusion, loss of consciousness, or breathing difficulties.
City drug coordinator: Calling emergency services ‘a positive sign’
Vienna’s drug and addiction coordinator, Ewald Lochner, said that calling an ambulance in such cases is “generally very positive.” However, the data does not allow conclusions about how many individuals are using drugs or whether they are registered residents of Vienna. Often, the individuals’ official place of residence is unknown.
Many young people lack risk awareness, and psychosocial pressures are increasing. “Moreover, analyses show that substances are becoming more potent.”
While drug use itself remains relatively stable in Vienna, Lochner noted a rise in risky consumption patterns—especially involving prescription drugs—and more potent substances. He pointed in particular to benzodiazepines, a class of tranquilizers that are often combined with other substances by teens. A task force formed in spring 2024 in response to the drug-related death of a 14-year-old girl in Vienna-Simmering is already incorporating its findings into public education and early intervention programs.
