ONS + OHID · updated 2024-10

North West: addiction and mortality statistics

Second-highest drug-death rate in England; alcohol admissions well above the national average.

Drug-poisoning deaths (2023)

852

97.4 / 100k

Opiate deaths

570

67% of drug deaths

Cocaine deaths

178

21% of drug deaths

Alcohol-specific rate

18.1

per 100k, age-standardised

Alcohol admissions

780

per 100k (narrow, 2022/23)

Adults in treatment

47,800

OHID 2022/23

Population

7.5m

ONS mid-2022 estimate

vs England avg

+18%

drug-death rate

How North West compares to England

The North West drug-poisoning mortality rate is 18% above the England average of 82.2/100k. Alcohol-specific mortality is 25% above the England rate of 14.5/100k.

Opiates account for 67% of drug-poisoning deaths in North West; cocaine accounts for 21%. The remainder are predominantly polydrug fatalities involving benzodiazepines, methadone or novel synthetics.

Local rehab options in North West

Rehab in Manchester

NHS via Change Grow Live Manchester

Rehab in Liverpool

NHS via The Brink and Kevin White Unit

Rehab in Preston

NHS via Inspire Lancashire

Rehab in Blackpool

NHS via Horizon Blackpool

Rehab in Warrington

NHS via Path to Recovery (CGL)

Rehab in Bolton

NHS via Achieve Bolton

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Common questions

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

The ONS registered 852 drug-poisoning deaths in the North West in 2023, an age-standardised rate of 97.4 per 100,000. Opiates were involved in 570 of these; cocaine in 178.

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

The alcohol-specific death rate in the North West is 18.1 per 100,000 (age-standardised), compared with an England average of 14.5. Alcohol-related hospital admissions (narrow definition) run at 780 per 100,000.

How many adults are in structured addiction treatment in the North West?▾

OHID recorded 47,800 adults in structured treatment in the North West 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.