Drug deaths in England and Wales soar to record high

The number of drug overdose deaths has soared to a 32-year high, including a fourfold increase in lives lost after taking synthetic drugs up to 100 times more potent than heroin.

- AMY-CLARE MARTIN

Official figures show 5,565 people died from drug poisoning in England and Wales in 2024, the highest since records began in 1993. This includes 195 people who died after taking lethal new synthetic opioids called nitazenes, which it is feared are flooding the British drugs market. This is up from just 52 deaths linked to the substances in 2023. Drug experts have branded the figures a “national scandal” and called for urgent government action to bring deaths down.

Mike Trace, CEO of the Forward Trust and former government drug czar, told The Independent: “Every year these drug-related death figures should be a national scandal.” He noted the number of lives lost is almost four times those killed in road traffic accidents, yet successive governments have shown “inertia” over harm reduction reform. He said the Scottish government has pursued a mission to bring down these death rates, but Westminster remains relatively silent on the problem.

“The government needs to take these figures much more seriously and take action to bring deaths down,” he said, adding that leaders are often “squeamish” about adopting policies to help ensure active drug users can seek advice and support to prevent overdose. While historically drug-related deaths were dominated by heroin overdoses, there is now a wider cocktail of drugs involved.