ONS + OHID · updated 2024-10

West Midlands: addiction and mortality statistics

Steady drug-poisoning rate but rising numbers in treatment for crack and powder cocaine.

Drug-poisoning deaths (2023)

502

74.7 / 100k

Opiate deaths

337

67% of drug deaths

Cocaine deaths

111

22% of drug deaths

Alcohol-specific rate

15.2

per 100k, age-standardised

Alcohol admissions

660

per 100k (narrow, 2022/23)

Adults in treatment

32,100

OHID 2022/23

Population

ONS mid-2022 estimate

vs England avg

-9%

drug-death rate

How West Midlands compares to England

The West Midlands drug-poisoning mortality rate is 9% below the England average of 82.2/100k. Alcohol-specific mortality is 5% above the England rate of 14.5/100k.

Opiates account for 67% of drug-poisoning deaths in West Midlands; cocaine accounts for 22%. The remainder are predominantly polydrug fatalities involving benzodiazepines, methadone or novel synthetics.

Local rehab options in West Midlands

Rehab in Birmingham

NHS via Change Grow Live Birmingham

Rehab in Coventry

NHS via CGL Coventry

Rehab in Wolverhampton

NHS via Recovery Near You (CGL)

Rehab in Stoke-on-Trent

NHS via Community Drug and Alcohol Service (One Recovery)

Rehab in Worcester

NHS via Cranstoun Worcestershire

100% confidential

Get help with addiction in West Midlands

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Common questions

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

The ONS registered 502 drug-poisoning deaths in the West Midlands in 2023, an age-standardised rate of 74.7 per 100,000. Opiates were involved in 337 of these; cocaine in 111.

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

The alcohol-specific death rate in the West Midlands is 15.2 per 100,000 (age-standardised), compared with an England average of 14.5. Alcohol-related hospital admissions (narrow definition) run at 660 per 100,000.

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

OHID recorded 32,100 adults in structured treatment in the West Midlands 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.