Drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales have risen for the 10th consecutive year to the highest level since records began 30 years ago, with nearly half of deaths now involving an opiate.
There were 4,907 deaths related to drug poisoning in 2022, equivalent to a rate of 84.4 deaths per million people, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The figures show a small increase from 2021, when there were 4,859 deaths, or 84.0 deaths per million.
The death rate in 2022 was 81.5% higher than in 2012, and has increased every year over the past decade after remaining relatively stable for 20 years.
Data also showed that just under half of all drug poisoning deaths in 2022 involved an opiate – 2,261 deaths – an increase from last year, and there has been a rise in the number of drugs typically recorded on the death certificate, now averaging two drugs per death.
Heroin and morphine remained the most common opiates cited on death certificates, but deaths involving cocaine had risen 2% from the previous year.
There were 857 deaths involving cocaine registered in 2022, more than seven times higher than in 2011.
The average number of drugs mentioned has been gradually increasing since 2010, with the likes of benzodiazepines (a type of sedative) and gabapentinoids (sometimes used for pain management) increasingly being seen alongside heroin and other opiates.
The statistics relate to death registrations in 2022 although, because of registration delays, 64% of the deaths occurred in previous years.
The ONS report said increased polydrug use (taking more than one drug) is likely to have contributed to the rise in deaths over the past decade.
Lee Fernandes, an addiction and mental health therapist in London, said the data showed people who had been addicted to drugs for many years “are now also experimenting with taking other substances”, which can make a user “increasingly susceptible to a fatal overdose”.
Mark Moody, the chief executive of health and social care charity Change Grow Live, said: “The treatment sector is working hard to improve services, but these statistics are a harsh reminder that there is still so much more to do.
“It is a tragedy that 4,907 people who use drugs have died. We must remember that behind every statistic is a person’s life. All of these deaths are premature, many are preventable, and our efforts should be focused on improving life expectancy and ensuring that people who use drugs receive the care, support and attention they deserve.”
In September, Glasgow was given the official go-ahead to open the UK’s first drug consumption room, where addicts will be permitted to take their own drugs in a clean and safe environment under the supervision of health professionals.
However, Rishi Sunak said he does not support the use of drug consumption rooms as he believes “they condone use of drugs”, although he will not block the pilot in Scotland.
The government has previously set a target of reversing the upward trend in drug deaths for the first time in a decade by the end of 2024 to 2025, as part of a 10-year plan to cut drug-related deaths.
ONS data showed drug misuse deaths, where the underlying cause is drug abuse or drug dependence, continued to be higher among Gen X – those born in the 1970s – with the highest rate in those aged 40 to 49.
The north-east continued to have the highest rates of deaths relating to drug poisoning (133.9 deaths per million people) and drug misuse (81.7 per million), while London had the lowest rate for drug poisonings (56.6 deaths per million people), and the east of England had the lowest rate for drug misuse (37.2 per million).
Consistent with previous years, males accounted for close to two-thirds of registered drug poisonings in 2022 (3,240 male deaths compared with 1,667 female deaths).
