DEATHS FROM DRUGS HIT ALL-TIME HIGH
THE NUMBER of people killed by drugs has rocketed to its highest-ever figure.
Some 3,744 deaths caused by drug poisoning were recorded in England and Wales in 2016, according to the Office for National Statistics.
That is a 43 per cent increase from the 2,618 deaths registered 20 years ago.
The majority of drugpoisoning deaths are overdoses of legal and illegal substances, prescription medications and over-thecounter drugs. Some of the deaths may be caused by complications of drug abuse, such as deep vein thrombosis or septicemia from injected drugs. The number of deaths caused by drug poisoning fell between 2001 - when 3,093 were recorded - to 2012, when there were 2,597. The figure then rose sharply the following year to 2,955 and has continued to increase ever since. In 2016, opiates were responsible for 2,038 drugpoisoning deaths by far the largest proportion.
More than half those cases (1,209) involved heroin or morphine, while 413 involved the heroin-substitute methadone.
Poisoning from antidepressants caused 460 deaths in 2016.
Paracetamol was involved in a further 219.
New psychoactive substances including the recently-banned drug Spice - caused 123 deaths.
A spokesperson for Addaction, a charity that helps children and adults with addictions, said: “Approximately half of opiate deaths involve people who have either never been in treatment or haven’t been in treatment for a very long time, so getting people into structured treatment, where appropriate, and keeping them there for as long as they need is vital.
“Naloxone kits – take home kits that reverse an opiate overdose – should also be more widely available.
“And with a continually ageing population of opioid users, more needs to be done to address their chronic health needs such as improving testing for respiratory problems and Hepatitis C.
“We need to see more innovative work in our local communities.
“Just maintaining the status quo is unacceptable and borderline negligent.” A spokesperson from the Department for Health said: “Every drug-related death is a tragedy. While drug misuse is lower than ten years ago, we are absolutely committed to reducing it and the harm it causes. “Last year we released a comprehensive new drugs strategy, to bring together police, health and global partners to tackle the illicit drug trade, protect the most vulnerable and help those with drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around.”