Drug deaths reach record high in England and Wales

Deaths due to drugs in England and Wales have hit their highest levels since records began, according to new figures released today. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found there were 5,448 deaths related to drug poisoning registered in England and Wales in 2023. That’s 11 percent higher than the year before.

In Wales, 377 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered last year. Swansea, on the south coast, is one city grappling with a devastating drug epidemic that’s claiming lives at an alarming rate. Though figures show drug deaths last year had fallen, it remains one of the worst affected places in Wales. The overall figures for the country show deaths have risen by almost 20% in the last year.

For many young people in Swansea, the ease of obtaining illegal substances is a major concern. We spoke to a young woman called Millie, who told us, “I remember when I was 16, it was easier for me to get hold of substances that were illegal than it was alcohol.”

This accessibility, combined with high deprivation, lack of mental health services and substance mixing, has created what many describe as a ‘perfect storm’. And for many young people in Swansea, drug use quickly spirals out of control. “I went from zero to a hundred with my drug use,” Millie admits.

Vix, another young resident, shared the impact drugs have had on her and her friendship circle.

“I actually can’t count the number of people I’ve lost; I know it was a minimum of like 6. I think the youngest we lost was 18.”

Vix refers to a friend’s ex-boyfriend who died from an overdose: “It wasn’t really until he passed away that we realised just how bad it [drugs] was,” she says.

Andy Perkins chairs the Western Bay Drugs Commission, an independent body that has been set up to tackle the high number of drug related deaths in Swansea and Port Talbot. He says that young people have told him that: “If you want to get help – to get quicker access…it’s easier to commit a crime than get help.”  His commission has asked the local community to share their stories to help drive its work.

Lily, not her real name, spoke to us about her introduction to drugs. “I started smoking weed when I was 12 and speed, and then cocaine and ecstasy pills and when I was 17, I got onto Ketamine.” Lily continues her battle with illegal substance use, but now with the help of a Wales-based charity ‘Barod’, she is making steps to change her future.

As Swansea continues to grapple with this crisis, the Western Bay Drugs Commission hopes it can reinforce the plan for a multi-agency framework to prevent more young lives from being cut short in this Welsh coastal town.

In a statement, Deb Lewis, Chair of the Western Bay Area Planning board, which is responsible for drug services in the region said:

“Whilst drug misuse deaths in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot region have fallen by 23% in 2023, every drug related death is a tragedy, and all members of the Board are fully committed to ensuring that vulnerable people receive treatment and support they need.”

Additional reporting by Sevda Moyassari.