News
HIGHEST DRUG DEATH TOLL FOR
ENGLAND AND WALES – AGAIN
REGISTRATIONS OF DEATHS relating to poisoning
(overdose) in England and Wales have once again
broken previous records, according to figures from the
Office for National Statistics (ONS). There were 4,359
drug poisoning deaths in 2018, up from 3,756 the
previous year (DDN, September 2018, page 4). This
represents a ‘statistically significant’ increase of 16 per
cent, the highest since records began in 1993.
The figures follow the announcement in July of
another set of record drug-fatalities north of the border,
at 1,187 – the fifth consecutive Scottish increase and up
almost 30 per cent from 2017’s figure of 934 (DDN,
July/August 2018, page 4). The Scottish Government has
since announced an additional £20m funding over two
years for the country’s drug services.
Two-thirds of the fatalities in England and Wales
were related to drug misuse, with male deaths
increasing significantly from 89.6 per million males in
2017 to 105.4 in 2018, while the female rate increased
for the ninth consecutive year to 47.5 per million. While
more than half of all drug poisonings involved an
opiate, deaths involving cocaine have now risen for
seven years in a row and almost doubled between 2015
and 2018 – to 637. Fentanyl deaths, however, remained
stable at 74.
There were also 125 deaths involving NPS, once
again a ‘statistically significant’ increase from the 61
recorded in 2017 and a return to 2016’s levels, which
saw 123. Synthetic cannabinoids contributed to 60 of
the NPS-related deaths, up from 24 in 2017. As in
previous years, the North East reported significantly
higher drug-related death rates than all other English
regions.
Transform called the deaths ‘an avoidable tragedy’,
while Release said government inaction was a
significant contributory factor. ‘For the last seven years
we have seen drug-related deaths increase year on year
and every year we have called on the government to
take action, to scale up funding for drug treatment, to
support overdose prevention sites, to fund drug
checking facilities, and to expand heroin assisted
‘every year we have called on
the government to take
action, to scale up funding for
drug treatment... each year
they have ignored us.’
niAmh eAStwood
treatment,’ said executive director Niamh Eastwood.
‘Each year they have ignored us.’
‘Drug-related deaths are preventable deaths,’ added
Turning Point’s director for public health and substance
misuse, Jay Stewart. ‘Investment in high quality, free to
access, evidence-based treatment services is critical, not
only to protect communities from drug-related crime
and anti-social behaviour but to save lives. Nationally,
funding has been reduced by 18 per cent over the past
five years and this reduction needs to be reversed.’
Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and
Wales: 2018 registrations at www.ons.gov.uk
DELAYED GRATIFICATION
ALCOHOL COMPANIES WILL FINALLY INCLUDE THE CMO’S
REVISED DRINKING GUIDELINES on bottles and cans three
and a half years after their introduction. Portman Group
members – which include Diageo, Barcardi and Carlsberg –
will now voluntarily display the 14 unit guidelines on their
packaging. Institute of Alcohol Studies chief executive
Katherine Severi said that it was a victory for the public
that the guidelines would appear ‘after three years of
delaying tactics by alcohol companies, and at the last
minute before a government deadline to comply.
But while this marks a half step forward, it shows
that the current system of alcohol industry self-
regulation is failing consumers.’
A victory for the public
4 | drinkanddrugsnews | September 2019
KAtherine Severi
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL should
open an investigation into Rodrigo Duterte’s
‘war on drugs’, says an Amnesty
International report. The Philippine
president’s violent anti-drugs campaign
should be investigated for gross human
rights violations and ‘possible crimes against
humanity’, according to They just kill. While
the country’s government had acknowledged
at least 6,600 killings by police, ‘evidence
points to many thousands more killed by
unknown armed persons with likely links to
the police’, Amnesty states. ‘It is time for the
UN, starting with its Human Rights Council,
to act decisively to hold President Duterte
and his government accountable,’ said
Amnesty regional director Nicholas Bequelin.
Report at www.amnesty.org.uk
CYNICAL
EXPLOITATION
CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS SEVEN are being
exploited by county lines gangs, says a
Children’s Society report. While those in the
14-17 age range are the most likely to be
exploited, children of primary school age are
being ‘increasingly targeted’, the charity
warns. The number of 10-17-year-olds
arrested outside London for intent to supply
drugs increased by 49 per cent between
2015-16 and 2017-18 to more than 500,
while respondents described seven and
eight-year-olds receiving support from the
authorities. ‘Children are being cynically
exploited with the promise of money, drugs,
status and affection and controlled using
threats, violence and sexual abuse, leaving
them traumatised and living in fear,’ said
Children’s Society chief executive Nick
Roseveare. Counting lives: responding to
children who are criminally exploited at
www.childrenssociety.org.uk
EFFECTIVE
IMPLEMENTATION
MUP IS BEING IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY,
according to NHS Health Scotland. Levels of
compliance among licensed premises are
high, says Evaluating the impact of minimum
unit pricing in Scotland on harmful drinkers.
The report, which is based on interviews with
trading standards officers, police and others,
found that even where issues of non-
compliance were identified these were
‘minor and swiftly resolved’. Pubs, clubs and
restaurants – which charge higher prices
than off-sales premises – had been largely
unaffected, and there was also no reported
increase in incidences of unlicensed or illegal
alcohol activity since MUP’s introduction in
May last year. Report at
http://www.healthscotland.scot/
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