“Record High Drug Deaths in Brighton and Hove: Urgent Need for Investment in Addiction Services”

Record High Drug Deaths in England and Wales Prompt Urgent Call for Investment in Addiction Services

The number of drug-related deaths in England and Wales has reached a record high, prompting health and social care provider Turning Point to call for increased investment in addiction services. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 47 drug poisoning deaths in Brighton and Hove in 2022, an increase from 37 the previous year.

These figures encompass a wide range of drug-related causes, including drug abuse and dependence, fatal accidents, suicides, and complications resulting from controlled and non-controlled drugs, as well as prescription and over-the-counter medications.

The total number of drug-related deaths across England and Wales in 2022 was 4,907, the highest level since records began in 1993.

Clare Taylor, Chief Operating Officer at Turning Point, expressed her deep concern over the high number of deaths, emphasizing that they are preventable with the right treatment and support. She called for continued government investment to enhance skills and capacity in the addiction sector in order to reverse this alarming trend.

Of the total drug-related deaths last year, 3,127 were attributed to misuse of illegal drugs or drug abuse and dependence. In Brighton and Hove, 36 deaths were identified as drug misuse.

The statistics also revealed that 46% of the deaths involved opiates, such as heroin or morphine, while 857 deaths were linked to cocaine, marking the 11th consecutive year of an increasing trend in cocaine-related deaths.

Lee Fernandes, from the UK Addiction Treatment Group, expressed concern over the fact that individuals who have been addicted to drugs for an extended period of time are now experimenting with other substances. This can make them increasingly susceptible to fatal overdoses. Fernandes stressed the importance of providing the right kind of help, empathy, and professional support to prevent such unnecessary deaths.

The age standardized mortality rate for drug-related deaths in Brighton and Hove between 2020 and 2022 stood at 15.4 deaths per 100,000 people, surpassing the overall rate for England, which was 8.1 deaths per 100,000 people.