Drug deaths DOUBLE in decade to record highs, disturbing data reveals – and our interactive map shows the areas worst hit by the crisis

New data shows that drug deaths from both illicit and prescription drugs have nearly doubled in the past decade.

Nearly twice as many people in England are being killed by drug abuse compared to a decade ago, with Blackpool cited as the country’s capital for drug deaths.

The NHS figures for drug deaths include both illicit substances, such as heroin and cocaine, and legitimate but still potentially dangerous drugs, such as prescription painkillers.

Our analysis revealed a sharp north-south divide, a problem that kills thousands of Britons every year.

Blackpool was the worst place for drug deaths per person in England, with 19.5 deaths per 100,000 residents.

This is almost four times the national average for England of 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

Other poor performers were Hartlepool (14.8), Middlesbrough (14.1), Liverpool (14) and Newcastle (12.8), all northern towns and cities.

The only locations in southern England to feature in the 25 worst areas for drug deaths are the seaside resort of Brighton and Hove (12.7) and the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (12.1).

At the other end of the spectrum were the picturesque Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall, where not a single drug-related death has been recorded in the past three years.

And the situation seems to be getting worse. The number of drug deaths per week in England has almost doubled in the past decade, from 30 to a new record of 55.

NHS data, collected in three-year increments, recorded a total of 8,582 drug-related deaths in 2020-2022.

This is almost double the equivalent number of 4,808 recorded ten years earlier in 2010-2012.

The number of deaths just three years ago was 7,665, meaning there is an increase of 12 percent compared to the previous report.

Blackpool also recorded the highest number of male drug-related deaths, with 28.4 deaths per 100,000 people.

But Chesterfield in Derbyshire took the top spot for drug deaths among women, with 11.9 deaths per 100,000 people.

The NHS data does not calculate a death rate if the number of fatalities is less than 10, so some areas, although recording a small number of drug deaths, are not included in the figures.

Birmingham took first place when it comes to the number of drug deaths, with 249 fatalities recorded, although given the city’s population this only equated to a death rate of 7.8 per 100,000 people.

Leeds came second with 194 deaths and Liverpool third with 182 deaths.

The fatalities in the data include both accidental and intentional overdoses, as well as cases where someone was poisoned by another person.

Commenting on the data, Lee Fernandes, lead therapist at the UK Addiction Treatment Group, said: ‘In December 2021, the government launched its 10-year drugs strategy, ‘From Harm to Hope’, but since then drug deaths have fallen over the past three years combined. years and annually, every year has done nothing but rise.

‘It is clear that their strategy is not working and a review should be considered. Only this year have municipalities been provided with a defined budget to be spent on residential detoxification, which is a good start, but until investment is prioritized for therapy afterwards, hardcore drug users could easily fall back into old habits.

‘We must remember that we are not just talking about numbers here; these are people who have lost their lives to drugs.

“These numbers represent someone’s parent, child, friend or co-worker, and ultimately all of these deaths are preventable.”

Our analysis of local drug deaths recorded by the NHS comes as a separate report from the Office for National Statistics shows that the number of deaths caused by alcohol and drugs has risen to almost 13,000 in England and over 800 in Wales by 2022.

Both figures represent significant increases compared to pre-pandemic figures, when the numbers stood at 10,511 and 667 respectively.

Experts have blamed binge drinking during the Covid pandemic and rising opiate abuse – including heroin and prescription drugs – for increasingly destroying the lives of Britons.

Research shows that a quarter of people increased their alcohol intake during lockdown, with people with an existing drinking problem said to be hardest hit.

There are also growing concerns that the powerful horse tranquilizer ketamine is becoming increasingly popular among young people.

The rising popularity of ketamine was laid bare today in a shocking series of graphs showing how use of the drug among young people has soared.

Use of the anesthetic, which can cause hallucinogenic effects, reached a record high among 16 to 24-year-olds last year. Nearly one in 25 people in this group in England show.

This is a jump of a fifth on the 2020 figure, and also four times higher than levels recorded a decade ago.

Experts have long warned that ketamine’s increasing use is driven by both its affordability and availability.

It is believed to cost around £20 per gram, compared to £40 per gram for MDMA and £100 for cocaine.