North East has worst rate of drug deaths in the country

vices. Demand for support continues to rise though and funding commitments for future years must reflect this and allow treatment providers, such as Humankind, to invest in the work that will make the biggest difference.”

Humankind also stressed that any approach could not “just be about recovery”, highlighting that “steps must also be taken to reduce the harm faced by people who use drugs”.

Ways to do so, the charity said, involved increasing the availability of Naloxone - a drug which can reverse opioid overdoses, improving access to safe needles and syringes and boosting testing and treatment for diseases like hepatitis C.

Mark Moody, chief executive of County-durham-founded charity Change Grow Live - the biggest substance misuse service in the country added: “Every one of these deaths is a tragedy, and the only reasonable response to today’s statistics is to redouble our efforts to stop more people losing their lives to drugs.

“The Government’s new drug strategy is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change things for the better, and Change Grow Live will work with partners, policy makers and the people who use out services to make sure that happens.”

According to the ONS, new trends involving taking specific drugs, such as benzodiazepines, alongside heroin and morphine may increase the overdose risk.

The figures cover drug abuse and dependence, fatal accidents, suicides and complications involving controlled and non-controlled drugs, prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Around half of the deaths registered in 2021 will have occurred in previous years due to death registration delays.

The figures show the rates of drugrelated deaths have risen 81.1% since 2012, when there were 46.6 deaths per million people.

A Government spokesman said: “Our landmark drug strategy will help rebuild drug treatment and recovery services to better support people through recovery, as well as tackling the criminal supply chains which fuel illegal drug markets.

“This will help to prevent nearly 1,000 deaths, deliver over 54,500 new treatment places - a 19% increase on current numbers - and support 24,000 more people into recovery from substance dependency.

“This funding is additional to the annual public health grant spend and builds on the £80 million put into treatment services in 2021 which worked to decrease drug-related deaths by helping services distribute more naloxone, which can help reverse opiate overdoses.”