"The number of drug overdose deaths has soared to a 32-year high, including a four-fold increase in lives lost after taking synthetic drugs up to 100 times more potent than heroin. Official figures show 5565 people died from drug poisoning in England and Wales in 2024, the highest since records began in 1993. This includes 195 people who died after taking lethal new synthetic opioids called nitazenes, which are feared to flooding the British drugs market."
"150,000 nitazene tablets were seized in police raid in 2023 (Metropolitan Police) Mike Trace, CEO of the Forward Trust and former government drug czar, told The Independent: Every year these drug related death figures should be a national scandal. He noted the number of lives lost is almost four times those killed in road traffic accidents, yet successive administrations have shown inertia over harm reduction reform."
Drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales rose to 5,565 in 2024, the highest since records began in 1993. Deaths linked to novel synthetic opioids called nitazenes increased from 52 in 2023 to 195 in 2024. Nitazenes can be up to 100 times more potent than heroin and 150,000 nitazene tablets were seized in a 2023 police raid. Experts describe the surge as a national scandal and call for urgent government harm-reduction measures. Scottish authorities have pursued death-reduction initiatives while Westminster has been less active. Inquest delays and limited testing may mean current figures understate the scale of deaths from novel synthetics.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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