In response to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) and Faculty of Public Health (FPH) have called for urgent action to reverse the worrying rise in numbers of people dying as a result of drug use.
Earlier this week, the ONS reported that there were 5,448 deaths related to the use of drugs in England and Wales in 2023; the highest level of drug-related deaths on record and an 11% increase in drug-related deaths compared to 2022.
This follows the recent report from the National Records of Scotland, indicating 1172 drug-related deaths in Scotland in 2023, an 11.5% increase in drug-related deaths compared to 2022.
These reports show clearly that the UK is in the midst of a drugs crisis, and that current responses to preventing drug-related harms are not sufficient.
ADPH and FPH are calling for higher and more sustained levels of public health funding to pay for drug and alcohol services, which are evidenced to reduce the risk of drug-related deaths and improve the health of people who use drugs. These services must be inclusive, non-judgemental and tailored to marginalised populations of people who use drugs including women, minoritised ethnic communities, and LGBTQ+ populations.
Professor Kevin Fenton CBE, FPH President said:
“For a growing public health crisis of this magnitude we need a proportionately urgent response. To reverse these spiralling trends and save lives, Government must take bold, innovative, and evidence-led action to protect health for populations across the UK.
“We need to do more to challenge stigmatising policies and attitudes towards people who use drugs, which negatively impact health and wellbeing, encourage riskier drug use, and deter people from accessing support when they need it."
There is promising international evidence showing a range of additional interventions which could reduce drug-related deaths in the UK. These interventions include safer injecting facilities (overdose prevention centres), drug checking services, diamorphine assisted therapy, high tolerance housing for people experiencing homelessness, and lower threshold prescribing of medications for drug dependence.
Alison Challenger, ADPH policy lead for addiction, said:
“With the UK facing its own drug death crisis, the Government must consider introducing and upscaling similar interventions, while at the same time evaluating their impact to ensure they are effective at reducing drug-related harm.
“It is important to remember too that these figures do not reflect expected increases in deaths caused by dangerous nitazene opioids, which are increasingly adulterating traditional drug supplies in the UK and are likely to exacerbate our existing drug-related death crisis.”
