On Friday, it was revealed that drug deaths in England and Wales have tragically risen for the eleventh consecutive year , with 5,565 people dying in 2024.

The data also revealed that nitazenes – potent synthetic opioids, up to 500 times stronger than heroin – are surging with 195 deaths confirmed, up from 52 confirmed deaths the year prior. This comes a month after the figures for Scotland were released , which also revealed an enormous increase in nitazene deaths in 2024, and the first quarter of 2025.

A suspected delay in the recording of nitazene deaths – meaning we might be looking at deaths from over two years ago – gives further cause for alarm, as we do not know the true scale of the crisis, and what the reality on the ground is.

Cranstoun , the organisation I work for

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