ONS + OHID · updated 2024-10

London: addiction and mortality statistics

Lowest drug-poisoning mortality rate of any English region but the highest raw cocaine-death count.

Drug-poisoning deaths (2023)

484

47.6 / 100k

Opiate deaths

322

67% of drug deaths

Cocaine deaths

141

29% of drug deaths

Alcohol-specific rate

11.2

per 100k, age-standardised

Alcohol admissions

430

per 100k (narrow, 2022/23)

Adults in treatment

33,900

OHID 2022/23

Population

8.9m

ONS mid-2022 estimate

vs England avg

-42%

drug-death rate

How London compares to England

The London drug-poisoning mortality rate is 42% below the England average of 82.2/100k. Alcohol-specific mortality is 23% below the England rate of 14.5/100k.

Opiates account for 67% of drug-poisoning deaths in London; cocaine accounts for 29%. The remainder are predominantly polydrug fatalities involving benzodiazepines, methadone or novel synthetics.

Local rehab options in London

Rehab in London

NHS via Change Grow Live and Turning Point boroughs

100% confidential

Get help with addiction in London

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Common questions

How many people died from drug poisoning in the London in 2023?▾

The ONS registered 484 drug-poisoning deaths in the London in 2023, an age-standardised rate of 47.6 per 100,000. Opiates were involved in 322 of these; cocaine in 141.

Is alcohol mortality higher in the London than the rest of England?▾

The alcohol-specific death rate in the London is 11.2 per 100,000 (age-standardised), compared with an England average of 14.5. Alcohol-related hospital admissions (narrow definition) run at 430 per 100,000.

How many adults are in structured addiction treatment in the London?▾

OHID recorded 33,900 adults in structured treatment in the London in 2022/23. That includes people in community drug and alcohol services, prescribing programmes, and residential detox.

Where does this data come from?▾

Drug-poisoning deaths are from ONS 2023 registrations. Alcohol mortality and admissions are from OHID's Local Alcohol Profiles for England (Fingertips profile 87). Treatment numbers are from OHID's Adult substance misuse treatment statistics 2022–23. All three are published under the Open Government Licence.

Sources: ONS Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales: 2023 registrations; OHID Local Alcohol Profiles for England; OHID Adult substance misuse treatment statistics 2022–23. Data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.