Cocaine overtakes heroin as top drug killer in UK
ONS data shows cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales nearly quadrupled in a decade, surpassing heroin in 2025, while ketamine deaths hit a record 115.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Cocaine deaths in England and Wales nearly quadrupled in a decade, surpassing heroin for the first time.
- A total of 5,519 drug poisoning deaths were registered in 2025, equating to 92.4 deaths per million people.
- Ketamine-linked fatalities reached a record 115, nearly doubling the figure recorded in 2024.
- Experts highlight widening regional inequality, with death rates in the North East doubling those in London.
Cocaine-related fatalities in England and Wales have surged nearly fourfold over the past decade, officially overtaking heroin for the first time as the leading single substance behind drug deaths. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released figures highlighting a profound shift in the nation's drug crisis, driven by increased product purity and widespread availability.
Official records show that 5,519 drug poisoning deaths were registered across England and Wales in 2025, representing 92.4 deaths per million individuals. Out of these cases, cocaine was referenced in 1,233 instances—making it the most frequently mentioned individual substance. By comparison, heroin and morphine were linked to 1,210 deaths, marking a decline from the previous year, though combined opiate and opioid fatalities remained higher overall.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Charities and public health experts attribute the soaring death toll of cocaine to heightened purity levels that expose users to severe health risks. Meanwhile, ketamine-associated deaths registered a steep climb to 115 last year, nearly doubling the previous year's total and rising sharply from just 7 fatalities a decade prior. Experts note this escalation stems from lower street prices and the normalisation of the drug, leading to severe dependencies and acute health complications among young users.
"What we are seeing is increasing polarisation and growing inequalities, where the poorest regions are falling behind, and more affluent regions doing better."
Dr James Morgan
The overall national drug death rate fell slightly to 93.9 deaths per million people, marking the first annual decline since 2012. However, Dr James Morgan, an addiction and mental health expert at London Metropolitan University, warned that fatalities remain objectively high. He emphasized that the crisis is compounded by growing regional polarization, with the North East experiencing mortality rates more than twice as high as London.
The British drug crisis reflects deep socioeconomic fractures, hitting former industrial heartlands with decades of entrenched poverty and unemployment—such as the North East, Wales, and Yorkshire—hardest. Compounding the threat, public health advocates point to the proliferation of extremely potent synthetic opioids like nitazenes infiltrating the illicit drug supply, increasing the lethal potential of traditional substances.
The human toll of the crisis is starkly illustrated by individual tragedies, such as the death of 52-year-old Anthony Irvin in Ramsgate in September 2025. His family suspects his fatal poisoning resulted from a drug supply contaminated with synthetic opioids, though testing delays mean definitive answers may remain out of reach.
Source: BBC Health
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