Deaths from ClassA drugs double over last five years
MORE people are dying from drug use in Wales than ever before – with men three times as likely as women to die.
A total of 473 people were killed by drug poisoning between 2014 and 2016, new figures released by the Office for National Statistics reveal.
It is the highest number of drug poisoning deaths Wales has seen since the figures were first recorded in 2001-03.
The number of deaths from Class A drugs such as heroin and cocaine has doubled over the last five years.
In 2012, there were 46 deaths in Wales from heroin and morphine, compared to 84 in 2016. And there were just four deaths from cocaine in 2011, but five years later that figure jumps to nearly four times that – at 15.
The overall figures also include people who may have overdosed on prescription drugs or medication.
But the real concern for drug misuse workers are drugs like fentanyl, an opioid pain medication 50 times more powerful than heroin.
In England there were almost three times the amount over four years – rising from 20 deaths in 2012 to 57 in 2016. In Wales, just one person died in 2016 from the drug.
Martin Blakeborough, of Newport drugs charity Kaleidoscope, said his biggest fear was the rise of new dangerous drugs crossing the border into Wales.
He said: “We know that the problem is getting worse.
“We know from the news cycle that by the use of fentanyl.
“We haven’t seen it really in Wales, but we are seeing in England that drug-related deaths are increasing more dramatically because of this particular drug.
“You can’t say to me that that’s not going to come across the border.”
Rhondda Cynon Taff had a particularly high rate of drug-related poisoning deaths – with 57 dying from drug poisoning between 2014-16.
That works out at 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
In Cardiff, there were 57 deaths – amounting to 5.7 deaths per 100,000 people – in the three-year period.
The Vale of Glamorgan had 25 deaths for the same period and Merthyr Tydfil saw 13 deaths due to drug poisoning – averaging 7.6 deaths per 100,000 residents.
Mr Blakeborough said ideas like injection rooms – where addicts can inject themselves safely – could help tackle the issue.
But the fear he has for the future is the introduction of new and more dangerous drugs, like spice, being introduced as other drugs become restricted.
He added: “You restrict opiates but then you’ll get a worse drug which is fentanyl. Therefore, you’re going to create a bigger problem.”
The Welsh Government said preventing more drug-related deaths was a “top priority” and were pumping £50 million into tackling substance misuse.
A spokesman said: “We are committed to tackling the avoidable harm caused by substance misuse, which can be devastating for individuals, families and communities.
“Preventing drug related deaths is a top priority underpinning the actions in our Substance Misuse Delivery Plan for 2016/18.
“We are investing almost £50m this year to tackle substance misuse and our delivery plan sets out the detailed action that we and our partners will be taking to support this vulnerable group.
“We must also remember that these figures must be interpreted with caution as drug deaths in Wales are based on relatively small numbers that fluctuate from year-to-year.”