The decision to ban so-called “legal highs” made the problem worse, according to a leading academic.
Professor Fiona Measham, Professor of Criminology at the University of Durham, said the UK faced a “national emergency” with drug deaths rising.
And she highlighted the increasing strength of drugs known as synthetic cannabinoids.
These were once known as “legal highs” and were freely available in high street shops until they were banned in 2016.
But Prof Measham said this had resulted in stronger variations entering the market.
And while many shops, known as headshops, had refused to sell drugs to children or people who were clearly unwell, criminal dealers had no such scruples now that the substances were illegal.
She said: “Before the first generation were banned they were being legally sold in headshops.
“Some of the headshops were only selling to over-18s, and some were only selling to people who appeared to be compos mentis. In my research we found there were some responsible retailers.”
But she added: “We found the street dealers would be selling to people of any age
“They would take credit. They would take pocket money.
“They would even exchange drugs for clothes. They would have a cash for clothes schemes.
“The salvation army hostel said people were stealing the sheets from their beds to go and exchange them for synthetic cannabinoids.
“So we have this totally unregulated street market, and these people were particularly targeting the most poorest and disadvantaged groups.”
Prof Measham was speaking inside Parliament to MPs on the Commons Home Affairs Committee, which is holding an inquiry into violent crime. MPs wanted to understand changes in the drugs market because it is thought this may be connected to an increase in violence.
The number of drug-related deaths has increased significantly in the UK, from 2,433 in 2007 to 3,482 in 2017.
In the North East, the number rose from 135 in 2007 to 289 in 2017.
Prof Measham said this was connected to easy access to drugs, the availability of high purity drugs and cuts to treatment services that might help users.
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She told the MPs: “So I guess we have a perfect storm really which has led to us having the highest drug related death rate on record and the highest drug related death rate in Europe.
“And it is a national disaster at the moment.”
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