DRUG-related deaths in England and Wales have risen for the eighth year in a row and remain at their highest level in more than a quarter of a century, figures show.
There were 4561 deaths related to drug poisoning registered in England and Wales in 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
This is the highest number since records began in 1993, and up 3.8% from the previous year.
Due to death registration delays, around half of the deaths will have occurred in the previous year and the majority before the coronavirus pandemic, the ONS said.
The figures show that rates of drug-related deaths have risen by 60.9% in the past 10 years – from 49.4 deaths per million in 2010 to 79.5 deaths per million in 2020.
READ MORE: Scotland's drug deaths rose by five per cent to a record 1339 in 2020, new figures reveal
Of the deaths registered last year, two thirds (2996) were related to drug misuse, and around half (2263) involved an opiate.
Some 777 deaths involved cocaine – a 9.7% rise from 2019 and more than five times higher than the 144 cocaine-related deaths registered in 2010.
It is the ninth consecutive annual rise in deaths linked to cocaine use.
Males accounted for more than two thirds of the registered deaths (3108).
Separate figures released last week showed that 1339 people died from drugs in Scotland last year.
The country continues to have the worst drug death rate in Europe.
The ONS figures show a north-south divide in rates of deaths due to drug misuse.
The North East experienced the highest rate – 104.6 deaths per million – three times higher than the lowest rate, which was in London: 33.1 deaths per million.
READ MORE: Here's why Scotland has power to seize control of drugs policy
Wales recorded its lowest rate since 2014 – 51.1 deaths per million – which was an annual fall of 9.1%. The ONS said death registration delays could be affecting the figures.
The highest rate of drug misuse deaths was found in those aged 45 to 49, followed by those aged 40 to 44.
So-called Generation X, born in the 1970s, has consistently had the highest rates of drug misuse deaths in the past quarter of a century.
READ MORE: UK’s pick-and-mix approach will only lead to further drugs deaths
The ONS said possible explanations for the rise could be that there is an ageing cohort of drug users experiencing the effects of long-term use and becoming more susceptible to a fatal overdose.
And new trends involving taking specific drugs, such as benzodiazepines, alongside heroin and morphine may increase the risk of overdose.
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