In Media
2026
A more humane drug policy
In this episode, our guest is Annuska Dal Maso, a civic activist and drug policy expert at EHYT ry.
Drug policy needs realism and humanity
Helsinki’s drug situation is not a crisis of a single substance, but a phenomenon deeply intertwined with society.
These words from the National Police Commissioner received a complete knockout from a politician
Substance use experts analyze the strong statement by National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskimäki about drug consumption rooms.
2025
Annuska Dal Maso, who grew up in Kontiolahti, has seen the drug phenomenon explode out of control
Annuska Dal Maso hopes Finland will adopt a zero target for drug-related deaths.
Cocaine is becoming cheaper in Finland
Cocaine use is increasing, and this is visible in calls to help and counselling phone services. So-called party use can develop into strong psychological dependence, paranoia, and heart problems.
“It was only a matter of time,” says a drug outreach worker about the arrival of a new drug in Finland
For now, nitazenes have not yet appeared in drug outreach work, according to Annuska Dal Maso, Project Manager at the preventive substance abuse organization EHYT ry.
Alpha-PVP, also known as “peukku,” is a dangerous drug that it’s important to talk about with young people
Experts say that alpha-PVP and other drugs should be discussed honestly. If a young person has tried drugs, help is available.
A major police success: amphetamine was removed from the streets, but “peukku” took its place
The consequences of a drug seizure on the streets are impossible to predict. Sometimes an operation succeeds, but the drug problem can end up getting worse.
According to Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, peukku has received too much attention
The return of “peukku” is a phenomenon that, despite warnings, people were not prepared for. The Minister of the Interior points out that although alpha-PVP is currently a major topic of discussion, it has not replaced other hard drugs.
Experts on alpha-PVP: The streets are not full of people out of control attacking everyone
There is currently a lot being written about alpha-PVP. Sanna Kailanto from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Annuska Dal Maso from Ehyt, and Mikko Salasuo from the University of Helsinki present the facts.
Drug use has surged in Finland – an expert warns about three dangerous substances
Although the use of “peukku” (alpha-PVP) has recently been widely featured in the headlines, other drugs have also increased sharply in popularity.
A substance dozens of times stronger than alpha-PVP may arrive in Finland.
Referral to treatment, harm reduction, and prevention — these are the guidelines an expert proposes for improving the drug situation.
Annuska Dal Maso warned about alpha-PVP already years ago
There are already signs that stronger and more dangerous drugs than alpha-PVP may be arriving in the country, says a drug-work expert.
The danger and effects of the highly addictive synthetic drug alpha-PVP are raising concern
A new synthetic drug is once again spreading in Finland — what should be done about the situation? Interviewees are National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskimäki from the National Police Board and Project Manager Annuska Dal Maso from the preventive substance abuse organization Ehyt ry.
Alpha-pvpv: paranoia, abscesses, and death.
Users of alpha-PVP say the substance is more dangerous and more addictive than other drugs. It can cause frightening hallucinations and abscesses under the skin.
What on earth should be done about the synthetic drug “peukku”?
Helsingin Sanomat asked professionals who encounter drugs in their work how the situation with “peukku” (alpha-PVP) should be resolved.
The Drug Information Network knows what substances are circulating on the streets of Helsinki
The increasing use of alpha-PVP, also known as “peukku,” is clearly visible in Helsinki. Both the number of substances in circulation and the number of users are increasing.
Drug use has become everyday reality in Helsinki
The increasing use of alpha-PVP, also known as “peukku,” is strongly visible in the city. Both the number of substances circulating and the number of users are increasing.
The Rapid Drug Information Network knows what is circulating on the streets of Helsinki
Drug use has become everyday reality, and the fight against drugs has been lost, says Annuska Dal Maso, head of the NOPSA network. Now the priority should be saving lives.
A grim report about Finland has been released: “No reason to celebrate."
A report by the European Union Drugs Agency makes for bleak reading. In Finland, 80% of those who died from drug-related causes were men.
A silent demonstration was held in Helsinki in support of reducing drug-related deaths
Drug deaths have increased in Finland, with the largest rise occurring among young people. According to Statistics Finland, a total of 310 people died from drugs in the previous year.
2024
Drug users fear amputations
The A-Clinic Foundation is concerned that more drug users on the streets than before are in very poor condition. A new development is that even users who do not inject drugs intravenously have ended up in very poor health.
Annuska Dal Maso brings a message to the Presidential Palace with her dress
Annuska Dal Maso, who works with drug users, wants to remind the people celebrating of those whom society was unable to help.
The symptoms caused by the synthetic drug alfa-PVP are worrying
The symptoms caused by the synthetic drug alfa-PVP and their impact on both users and society are worrying. Something about the substance’s danger is evident in the fact that even drug users themselves talk about how dangerous it is.
Scary alfa-PVP
An extremely dangerous drug is currently circulating in Helsinki. Annuska Dal Maso talks about the arrival of alpha-PVP on the city’s streets.
Supervised consumption rooms and drug-related deaths among young people
Recovering substance user from Helsinki, Veera-Katariina, and Annuska Dal Maso, Head of the Outreach Work Unit at the A-Clinic Foundation, discuss drug-related deaths among young people. Could supervised consumption rooms help prevent them?
Would supervised drug consumption rooms reduce drug-related deaths?
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has recommended piloting supervised consumption facilities, but the issue continues to divide Parliament. What will happen to the citizens’ initiative? In this interview, one of the initiative’s responsible organizers, Annuska Dal Maso, Head of Outreach Work at the A-Clinic Foundation, discusses the topic.
Ketamine in recreational drug use
Annuska Dal Maso talks about the dangers of ketamine in recreational drug use.
2023
Substance abuse work and substance abuse problems in Finland
The Vaihtoehto podcast discusses substance abuse problems and their prevention in Finland.
This is what drug consumption facilities could look like in Finland
Finnish law does not allow supervised drug consumption facilities, and some people strongly oppose them. Annuska Dal Maso presents one vision of what kind of care could potentially be offered in such facilities.
This is how a drug consumption room could work in Finland
Annuska Dal Maso explains how a supervised drug consumption facility could operate in Finland.
There are already drug consumption rooms in cities — they’re just not intended for that purpose.
Drug use in Finland is increasing. Yet many politicians still swear by the old drug policy. Kansan Uutiset went on a street round to see the kind of work where people are searched for whom few want to find.
If the means to reduce drug-related deaths exist, why are they not being implemented?
Guests include Senior Constable Heikki Mäkiprosi from the Helsinki Police Department’s monitoring and preventive operations unit, Annuska Dal Maso, Head of Outreach Work at the A-Clinic Foundation, and Pekka Hakkarainen, Emeritus Research Professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
2022
Drug use has become an everyday reality visible on the streets of Helsinki even in the middle of the day.
Annuska Dal Maso, Head of Outreach Work at the A-Clinic Foundation, talks about the drug situation in Helsinki.
The situation looks bleak on the streets of Helsinki
Finland tops the statistics for the number of young people who die from drug-related causes, according to the latest European Drug Report.
HS followed Aleksis Kiven katu to observe how drug use has spread.
Police intensified enforcement in the Sörnäinen area, leaving its mark: drug use spread to an increasingly wider area.
A new report sheds light on the drug situation in EU countries.
The European Drug Report presents the latest overview of the drug situation in Europe. What does the supply and production of drugs look like, which drugs are used in Europe, and where do they come from?
The A-Clinic Foundation carries out outreach substance abuse work
Annuska, 40, and Kajsa, 26, walk around with a bag collecting drug needles and looking for people in need of help.
New approaches are needed to treat substance abuse problems.
In the interview: Hannu Jouhki, CEO of the A-Clinic Foundation, and Annuska Dal Maso, Head of Outreach Work.
2021
Drug users on the streets of Helsinki are getting younger.
Volunteers distribute food to drug users on Helsinki’s streets.
A Finnish family lived in Silicon Valley for four years.
Annuska Dal Maso lived in Silicon Valley in the United States with her husband and two children. Their years abroad highlighted the strengths of Finnish society.