Drug deaths still at ‘historic’ levels

The number of drug deaths registered in England and Wales remains stubbornly high, new data has shown.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 5,519 drug-related deaths were recorded in 2025, a slight fall from the previous year’s record of 5,565 poisonings, and the first annual drop in the mortality rate since 2012.

In separate data published in April, the ONS estimated that drug-related crimes are at the highest level in over a decade, with 230,783 taking place in 2025, up from 195,613 in 2024.

Trends

Males accounted for 72.5 per cent of last year’s deaths (2,622). The ONS observed a widening gap over time, where “the male rate was 2.3 times the female rate in 2025, compared with 1.5 times the female rate in 1993”, when the data series began.

Cocaine was the most frequently mentioned illegal substance in drug deaths registered in 2025, accounting for 1,233 deaths, overtaking heroin and morphine for the first time.

In what the ONS described as a longer-term trend, it noted that “ketamine was mentioned in 115 deaths in 2025, compared with 27 in 2020, and 7 in 2015”.

David Mais, head of mortality statistics at the ONS, said “deaths from drug poisoning remain historically high”.

Scotland

The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland increased to 1,133 deaths last year, the sixth highest figure on record. According to the National Records of Scotland, the nation’s drug poisoning death rate is more than double compared to England and roughly one and a half times that of Wales and Northern Ireland.

Under the SNP’s Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan, the Scottish Government pledged ‘not to delay’ the opening of more shooting galleries, as it explores other ‘harm reduction’ measures such as distributing crack cocaine pipes to users for “safer inhalation”.

But in a recent BBC Scotland interview, Prime Minister Andy Burnham explained that after looking into similar policies as Mayor of Greater Manchester, he concluded he could not endorse them.

“I don’t think we should send a confusing message to young people, I think we should be clear about the harm of drugs and that’s the position I take.”