The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released data on drug poisoning deaths registered in 2024 across England and Wales. Further national and local analysis will follow in Public Health Wales’ annual Drug Related Mortality Report. These figures represent official statistics of those deaths registered in 2024, where further national and localised analysis will be provided by PHW as part of their annual Drug Related Mortality report. In the mean time I have pulled together the summary below:
England and Wales
- Across England and Wales 5,565 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in 2024, equivalent to an age-standardised mortality rate of 93.9 deaths per million people; this is highest number since records began and higher than the rate recorded in 2023 (93.0 deaths per million) when there were 5,448 registered deaths
- Over two-thirds(or 3,736) of registered drug poisoning deaths were related to drug misuse accounting for 63.1 deaths per million people
- Opiates are involved in just under half (47.1%) of drug poisonings registered in 2024. This was 2.7% higher than in 2023.
- Heroin and morphine continued to be the most frequently mentioned opiates with 1,415 drug poisoning deaths mentioning either one of these substances in 2024
- There were 195 deaths involving Nitazenes registered in 2024, following their first appearance in death registrations in 2020. This is almost four times higher than the number registered in 2023 (52 deaths)
- There were 1,279 deaths involving cocaine registered in 2024, which was 14.4% higher than the previous year(1,118 deaths) and eleven times higher than in 2011 (112 deaths). This represents the 13th consecutive annual rise in registered deaths involving cocaine. In 2024, males accounted for 76.8% of the deaths involving cocaine (982 males compared with 297 females).
- Of all drug-poisoning deaths in 2024, other significant drugs that were mentioned on the death certificate were: Benzodiazepines (629 deaths), Pregabalin (617 deaths), Amphetamine (111 deaths) and Ketamine (60 deaths). Compared to 2023, mentions of most of these substances increased in 2024 (with the exception of amphetamines).
Wales
- In Wales 417 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in 2024, this represents a 10.6% increase compared to 2023 when there were 377 registered deaths, and equivalent to an age-standardised mortality rate of 140.4 deaths per million. Rates of deaths remain higher in Wales when compared to England (91.1 deaths per million)
- Drug misuse deaths represented 288 (just over two-thirds) of registered drug poisoning deaths in Wales, accounting for 97.4 deaths per million people in 2024. This represents a 13.8% increase in deaths compared to 2023, where 253 deaths were registered (87.6 deaths per million people).
- In 2024, the median registration delay for drug poisonings in Wales remains high at 279.0 days (289.5 days for drug misuse), down from 309.0 in the previous year. Registration delays in Wales for 2024 remain substantially higher than pre COVID-19 pandemic where an average delay of 189.0 days were reported in 2019, and 30.4% higher than those reported in England (214.0 days)
Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan
- In 2024, 42 drug misuse deaths were registered in the Cardiff and Vale APB area (28 in Cardiff, 14 in Vale of Glamorgan), an increase of 35.5% from the 31 deaths registered in 2023
- Compared to other APB regions the Cardiff and Vale APB saw the third lowest number of drug misuse deaths registered in 2024, with Cwm Taf Bro Morgannwg seeing the highest (65 drug misuse deaths in 2024)
- In Cardiff, the three-year rolling age-standardised mortality rate for 2022-24 was 6.9 drug misuse deaths per 100,000 people. This represents a slight increase in rate since 2021-23 (6.7 deaths per 100,000 people), and sits below the Welsh rate (8.5 deaths per 100,000) for this period
- In the Vale of Glamorgan, the three-year rolling age-standardised mortality rate for 2022-24 was 7.5 drug misuse deaths per 100,000 people. This represents an increase in rate since 2021-23 (4.8 deaths per 100,000 people), and sits below the Welsh rate (8.5 deaths per 100,000) for this period
For further detail on the report and statistics please see:
