Overview

• Hannover is now a federal model city in the so-par project, alongside Berlin and Essen, to address the growing prevalence of synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
• Approximately 20% of heroin samples tested at Hannover’s Stellwerk consumption room since March contained fentanyl, confirming its infiltration into local drug supplies.
• Hannover's initiatives include prescription-free naloxone distribution and lab analysis of drug samples to improve early-warning systems and overdose response protocols.
• Synthetic opioids, which are up to 50 times more potent than conventional painkillers, account for an estimated 75% of drug-related fatalities in Europe.
• Germany has seen a rise in drug-related deaths, with fatalities increasing from 1,990 in 2022 to 2,227 in 2023, prompting urgent action from municipal and federal authorities.