South East: addiction and mortality statistics
Below-average rates but the largest total number of adults in structured treatment outside the North West.
How South East compares to England
The South East drug-poisoning mortality rate is 22% below the England average of 82.2/100k. Alcohol-specific mortality is 12% below the England rate of 14.5/100k.
Opiates account for 67% of drug-poisoning deaths in South East; cocaine accounts for 23%. The remainder are predominantly polydrug fatalities involving benzodiazepines, methadone or novel synthetics.
Local rehab options in South East
Common questions
How many people died from drug poisoning in the South East in 2023?▾
The ONS registered 673 drug-poisoning deaths in the South East in 2023, an age-standardised rate of 64.2 per 100,000. Opiates were involved in 449 of these; cocaine in 152.
Is alcohol mortality higher in the South East than the rest of England?▾
The alcohol-specific death rate in the South East is 12.7 per 100,000 (age-standardised), compared with an England average of 14.5. Alcohol-related hospital admissions (narrow definition) run at 500 per 100,000.
How many adults are in structured addiction treatment in the South East?▾
OHID recorded 27,600 adults in structured treatment in the South East 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.