Drug fatalities from both illegal and prescription medications have nearly doubled in the last ten years, new data reveals.
Nearly twice the number of people in England are being killed by drug abuse compared to 10-years prior, with Blackpool cited as the nation's drug death capital.
NHS figures for drug fatalities include both illicit substances, likeheroin and cocaine, as well legitimate, but still potentially dangerous, medications like prescription painkillers.
Our analysis revealed a starknorth-south divide into a problem which is killing thousands of Brits every year.
Blackpool was the worst place for drug deaths per person in England, recording 19.5 deaths per 100,000 population.
Blackpool was the worst place for drug deaths per person in England, recording 19.5 deaths per 100,000 population, nearly quadruple the national average
This is nearly four times the national average for England of 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
Other poor performers were Hartlepool (14.8), Middlesbrough (14.1), Liverpool (14) and Newcastle (12.8), all northern towns and cities.
The only locales in southern England to feature in the worst 25 areas for drug deaths are the seaside resort of Brighton and Hove (12.7) and the Londonborough of Hammersmith and Fulham (12.1).
At the opposite end of the spectrum was the picturesque Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall which did not record a single drug related death in the last three years.
And the situation appears to be getting worse. The number of drug deaths per week in England has almost doubled in the last 10 years from 30 to a new high of 55.
NHS data, which is collated in three-year increments, recorded a total 8,582 drug deaths in 2020-2022.
This is almost double the equivalent figure of 4,808 recorded a decade prior in 2010-2012.
Deaths from just three years ago were 7,665 meaning there has been a rise of 12 percent compared to the last report.
Blackpool also recorded the highest rate of male deaths from drugs, with 28.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
But Chesterfield in Derbyshire took the top spot for drug deaths in women, with 11.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
The NHS data doesn't calculate a death rate if the number of fatalities is below 10 so some areas, while recording a small number of drug deaths, aren't represented in the figures.
Birmingham took top spot in terms of sheer number of drug deaths, with 249 fatalities recorded, though considering the city's population this only translated to a death rate of 7.8 per 100,000 people.
Leeds came in second place with 194 deaths and Liverpool third with 182 deaths.
Fatalities in the data encompass both accidental and intentional overdose as well as cases where someone was poisoned by another person.
Responding to the data Lee Fernandes, lead therapist at the UK Addiction Treatment Group, said: 'In December 2021, the Government launched their 10 year drug strategy, "From harm to hope", but since then, drug deaths collectively in the last three years and annually each year have done nothing but rise.
'Clearly, their strategy is not working, and a review should be considered. Only this year have councils been provided with ring fenced budget that must be spent on residential detoxification, which is a great start, but until investment is prioritised for therapy thereafter, hardcore drug users could slip easily back into old habits.
'We must remember that we're not just talking about numbers here; these are people who have lost their lives to drugs.
'These figures represent someone's parent, child, friend or work colleague, and ultimately, all of these deaths are avoidable.'
Our analysis of local drug deaths recorded by the NHS comes as a separate Office for National Statistics report found deaths from alcohol and drugs had risen to almost 13,000 in England and in excess of 800 in Wales in 2022.
Both figures represent significant rises compared to pre-pandemic figures, when the tally was 10,511 and 667 respectively.
Experts have blamed excess boozing during the Covid pandemic as well as increasing opiate abuse — including heroin and prescription drugs — for increasingly blighting the lives of Britons.
Studies have suggested a quarter of people increased their alcohol intake during lockdown with people with an existing drinking problem thought to be hit the hardest.
There have also been increasing concerns that the powerfulhorse-tranquiliser ketamine is enjoying rising popularity among young people.
Ketamine's rising popularity was today laid bare in a shocking series of chartsrevealing how use of the drug has surged among young people.
Use of theanaesthetic, which can provoke hallucinogenic effects,hit a record high among 16 to 24-year-olds last year. Almost one in 25 people in this group in England, official figures show.
This is a jump ofa fifth on 2020's figure, and also stands four times higher than the levels recorded a decade ago.
Experts have long warned that rising ketamine use has been driven by both its affordability and availability.
It is thought to cost around £20 a gram compared to £40 a gram for MDMA and £100 for cocaine.
