The Office for National Statistics recorded 5,655 drug-related deaths in 2024 – and such deaths have now increased every year since 2012
Drug poisoning deaths have gone up again and are now at their highest since records began in 1993.
The Office for National Statistics said there were 5,655 drug-related deaths in 2024 which means such deaths have now increased every year since 2012. The new data comes a day after the Government launched a hard-hitting video campaign warning about an increase in harm from ketamine, synthetic opioids and vapes contaminated with “zombie drug” Spice.
Simon Phillips, chief executive of drug and alcohol treatment provider WithYou, said: “Each drug-related death is a tragedy. With the rise in synthetic opioids and contaminated drugs, the drug supply is becoming more complex and dangerous. The government must continue to invest in high quality treatment that anyone can access.”
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The latest annual total is up from 5,448 drug deaths in England and Wales in 2023, and 4,907 in 2022.
Clare Taylor, chief operating officer at Turning Point, which provides addiction support services, said: “Synthetic opioids continue to flow into the market. Lab-produced opioids pose a significant risk to life due to their potency and this is reflected in the fact that deaths related to nitazenes have increased four-fold compared to the previous year.
“Deaths related to cocaine have increased by 14%, with men more likely to be affected. The increase in the number of mentions of ketamine on death certificates is particularly worrying… today’s statistics should serve as a call to action to Government.”
Experts are demanding more support and engagement with people who use drugs – rather than a “just say no” message.
Niamh Eastwood, executive director of Release, which provides legal support for addicts, said: “These figures show a public health crisis that is deepening year after year, with no action. The evidence on how to save lives is already clear, yet the government continues to rely on outdated ‘war on drugs’ policies that criminalise people—pushing them away from safety, care, and support.
“Every one of these deaths was preventable, and behind every number is a person, a family, and a community. This is not an abstract policy issue—it’s a public health crisis unfolding in public view.”
Charity WithYou is calling for increased availability of naloxone – a drug which reverses opioid overdoses if administered quickly – as well as drug checking so people can check for contaminants in their drugs, and exploring the introduction of drug consumption rooms.
Simon Phillips added: “We urge the government to make it easier for drug checking services to operate in local communities, continue to expand naloxone provision and explore the introduction of drug consumption rooms. We can’t keep watching people die while proven interventions sit on the shelf.
“The government can address this public health crisis by concentrating on saving lives now, helping people recover over time, and addressing the root causes for the future. This requires coordinated action. Systemic change requires government investment.”
It comes a day after ministers announced an extra £310million investment in drug treatment services. It came alongside an online awareness campaign targeting 16-24 year olds and users of social media, where dodgy drug products are often advertised.
A major problem is the sale of e-cigarettes touted as containing THC. This is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that causes a “high” and is also responsible for some of its medical and recreational uses.
However dodgy online drug dealers are often using the cheaper synthetic cannabinoid Spice. It follows reports last year that several unsuspecting school pupils had been hospitalised and one left in a coma after taking Spice in vapes.
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Ketamine poisoning has seen a huge increase as urologists are increasingly concerned about young people presenting with severe bladder problems from recreational use.
Experts fear controlled clinical trials currently investigating possible medical benefits of quality-controlled ketamine are giving young people the false impression that recreational use of the drug purchased on the black market is safe.
David Mais, from the Office for National Statistics, said: “We are seeing a small but continued increase in the rate of deaths relating to drug poisoning, with opioids and opiates, such as heroin and morphine, the drugs most commonly mentioned on death registrations.”
