17 October 2025
Today (Friday 17th October), the ONS published its annual report on drug-related deaths. The report finds that:
-
In England and Wales, 5,565 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in 2024, the highest number since records began in 1993.
-
Just under half of all drug-poisoning deaths registered in 2024 were confirmed to involve an opiate and opioid (47.1%; 2,621 deaths).
-
195 deaths involved a nitazene, which is almost four times higher compared with 2023.
-
The North East continues to have the highest rates of deaths relating to drug poisoning and drug misuse (167.6 deaths per million people and 107.1 per million, respectively).
-
There were 1,279 deaths involving cocaine registered in 2024, which was 14.4% higher than the previous year and eleven times higher than in 2011 (112 deaths).
-
More than half of all drug-poisoning deaths involved more than one drug.
Statement from WithYou
Simon Phillips, CEO of drug and alcohol treatment provider, WithYou, said:
“Each drug-related death is a preventable, avoidable tragedy. Behind the numbers are real people, with family and friends grieving their loss. My thoughts are with them today.
“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.
“There’s no single quick fix for this complex problem. The government can tackle 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. At WithYou we work closely with local partners to ensure treatment is accessible and effective, but systemic change requires continued government investment.
“We urge the government to do more to explore the feasibility of interventions proven to save lives, such as making it easier for drug checking services to operate in local communities, enabling people to assess risks and avoid contaminated substances. Continuing to expand naloxone provision and exploring the introduction of drug consumption rooms could also play an important, practical role in saving lives today. We can’t keep watching people die while proven interventions sit on the shelf.
“We are absolutely committed as an organisation to doing everything we can to reduce these preventable deaths. We know that with the right support, many of the people who died from drug use could still be alive today. The causes of this crisis are complex and long-standing, but these deaths are not inevitable, and we can’t stand by and accept them.
“For anyone who is worried about their drug use, or that of someone close to them, we are here to help. Our webchat, available at wearewithyou.org.uk, offers free, confidential advice from expert recovery workers.“
