Cocaine-related deaths overtake heroin for first time in England and Wales
Cocaine overtook heroin in poisonings, and nitazenes were linked to about three times as many deaths as in 2023, the ONS said.
- The Office for National Statistics reported today that 5,519 people died from drug use in England and Wales during 2025, with cocaine overtaking heroin as the substance most often involved in drug deaths for the first time since records began in 1993.
- Robin Pollard, head of policy at WithYou, warned that cocaine has become 'far more prevalent' in recent years as the price of a gram dropped by around 40 per cent over the last six years, making it 'increasingly socially acceptable.'
- London recorded the highest number of cocaine-related fatalities at 177, while the North West followed with 175 deaths. More than a third of victims were aged 40 to 49, with only 136 fatalities involving those in their 20s.
- Green Party Mayor of Hackney Zoë Garbett and other local leaders are urging the Prime Minister to adopt a 'modern, compassionate, and evidence-led policy approach,' arguing the current criminalization model treats users as 'criminals' and 'wrongdoers.'
- The Home Office restricts local authorities from piloting life-saving interventions like Overdose Prevention Centres, yet advocates point to countries like Switzerland that have seen dramatic improvements through health-led frameworks rather than criminalization.
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The latest drug death figures show government's approach must change
Today, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released its latest figures on drug deaths in England and Wales, revealing the latest extent of this public health crisis: 5,519 people died in 2025 due to drug use, a reduction of less than 1 per c...
Report of the Office for National Statistics The post Death Drug Number 1: cocaine replaces heroin in the UK – for reasons first appeared on Nordisch.info.
Cocaine-related Deaths Overtake Heroin For First Time In England And Wales
The data for 2025 also showed the first decrease in the overall death rate in more than a decade, with 5,519 registered deaths related to drug poisoning, down from 5,565 a year earlier. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said last year’s figures were the equivalent of 92.4 deaths per million people, with the first […]
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