Drug-related deaths jump to record high in England, Wales
Drug-related deaths in England and Wales reached record high, driven primarily by opiates, figures show.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said 4,859 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in 2021, a rate of 84.4 deaths per million people.
The office added that “this is the ninth consecutive annual rise, up 6.2 per cent from the previous year, and the highest number since records began more than a quarter of a century ago in 1993.”
The ONS also said the overall rising trend over the past decade had been driven primarily by deaths involving opiates and cocaine.
The figures cover drug abuse and dependence, fatal accidents, suicides and complications involving controlled and non-controlled drugs, prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Around half of these deaths registered in 2021 would have occurred in previous years due to death registration delays.
The figures show the rates of drug-related deaths have risen 81.1 per cent since 2012 when there were 46.6 deaths per million people.
(dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
2023: Gov. Fintiri unveils Adamawa varsity VC as running mate
Ms Farauta, the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of the Adamawa University, Mubi, was unveiled in Yola on Wednesday.
Economy
OPEC+ may raise oil output to market overheating: Kazakhstan
The U.S. has put OPEC leaders Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates under pressure to pump more oil to help rein in prices.
![Nancy Pelosi. [PHOTO CREDIT: AP News]](https://i1.wp.com/gazettengr.com/wp-content/uploads/Nancy-Pelosi.jpg)
World
Pelosi departs Taiwan for South Korea amid China military drills
After her visit to Taiwan, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi flew on to the next stop of her Asia trip in South Korea on Wednesday.
Anti-Corruption
NJC panel to sanction judges failing to submit quarterly returns
The committee interacted with designated judges handling corruption and financial crimes cases on the reason for delays.
World
Sri Lanka to submit debt-restructuring plan to IMF
The Sri Lankan government temporarily suspended foreign debt payments on April 12 due to a lack of foreign reserves for essentials.
Agriculture
Food Crisis: Ukraine’s grain undergoing inspection in Istanbul
Food is urgently needed on the world market – especially in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The UN recently warned of the biggest famine in decades.
