Drug deaths in West Midlands at record high with one age group most affected

Drug deaths in the West Midlands have hit their highest level since records began, with middle-aged men the most at risk. A total of 518 people died as a result of drug poisoning in the West Midlands last year, according to latest figures released today, Wednesday, October 23, by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Men accounted for 338 of the deaths, with 376 classed as 'drug misuse'. The 518 drug poisoning deaths was the highest tally in the region since records began in 1993, and marked a near-30 per cent increase from 2022 where 404 people died from drugs.

Nationally, 5,448 people died as a result of drug poisoning last year, with the number rising every year since 2012. According to the data, rates of drug misuse continued to be elevated among aged between 40 and 49, known as Generation X.

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The same age group had higher death rates from drugs than any other age group. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, when they in their 20s, they were already more affected by drug poisoning than other generations, and this trend has continued as they have aged, the figures showed.

Nationally, 3,645 drug poisoning deaths of men were registered in 2023 with 1,803 deaths of women. The North East continued to have the highest rates of deaths relating to drug poisoning and drug misuse.

Commenting on today's release, Greg Ceely, Head of Population Health Monitoring, Office for National Statistics, said: "The number of drug poisoning deaths registered in England and Wales in 2023 increased by 11 per cent compared to 2022 and is the highest since our records began in 1993. This continues a trend of drug deaths increasing each year since 2012.

"Around half of the deaths involve an opiate, such as heroin or morphine. We saw a large rise in the number of cocaine deaths, which account for a fifth of all deaths related to drug poisoning in 2023. Men born in the 1970s, often referred to as ‘Generation X’, continue to see the highest rate of drug-related deaths."