news-tldr.com

The important facts, the open questions, and the sources — without the churn.

← Latest briefing

Health

Cocaine now linked to more England and Wales drug deaths than heroin

ONS figures for 2025 show the overall drug death rate fell for the first time since 2012, while ketamine-linked deaths hit a record.

Published Nov 4, 2026 · 19:46 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • Office for National Statistics figures for 2025 show cocaine was linked to 1,233 registered drug poisoning deaths, above 1,210 for heroin or morphine.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Overall drug poisoning deaths fell to 5,519, or 92.4 per million people, the first annual drop in the rate since 2012.[BBC News]
  • Charities attribute cocaine's rise to higher purity and availability, while the North East's death rate is more than double London's.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Ketamine-linked deaths reached a record 115, and a charity CEO cites potent synthetic nitazenes as a continuing risk.[BBC News]

Key facts

  • Cocaine was linked to 1,233 registered drug poisoning deaths in 2025, above the 1,210 linked to heroin or morphine.[BBC News]
  • England and Wales recorded 5,519 drug poisoning deaths in 2025, or 92.4 deaths per million people.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • The overall drug death rate fell from 93.9 to 92.4 per million people, the first annual decline since 2012.[BBC News]
  • A record 115 ketamine-linked deaths were registered in 2025, almost twice the 2024 count.[BBC News]
  • The North East had a drug death rate of 135.2 per million people in 2025, compared with 58.3 in London.[The Guardian]
  • Drug deaths were five times higher in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas.[The Guardian]
  • Charities attribute the rise in cocaine deaths to increased purity and availability.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Mike Trace, CEO of the addiction charity Forward Trust, said nitazenes are among the factors keeping drug poisoning deaths high.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Cocaine was mentioned in these deaths, so the counts reflect involvement rather than a sole cause; combined opiate and opioid deaths remained higher.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Charities' explanations for rising cocaine deaths are attributed views rather than established findings.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • The reporting includes no direct government response to charities' calls for urgent action.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.