According to the most recent ONS data, 4,859 drug-related deaths were recorded in England and Wales in 2021, equating to a rate of 84.4 deaths per million persons.
One of the government’s top drug experts has accused the government of not caring about the growing number of heroin addicts dying from overdoses.
Dr. Emily Finch, a senior member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists who sits on the government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, told: “No one cares about the rising number of heroin-related deaths.” “I believe that is one of the issues. I don’t believe the majority of the population does.
“I believe that many people, and perhaps the government as well, are indifferent, which is why they have allowed the treatment system to mostly deteriorates.
There are real reasons for concern: heroin users spend a great deal of time in hospitals, they cost us a great deal of money, and some of them commit crimes. All of these are strong reasons why supporting them properly and getting them into high-quality therapy would likely save society money in the long run.”
According to the most recent ONS data, 4,859 drug poisoning deaths were documented in England and Wales in 2021, equating to a rate of 84.4 deaths per million persons; this is 6.2% higher than the rate recorded in 2020.
Approximately half of the drug poisoning deaths reported in 2021 featured an opiate, with the opiate rate presumably being affected by the pandemic as a significant proportion of rough sleepers were affected.
Due to delays in death certificate registrations, these fatalities will span the years 2020 and 21.
As a result of several deaths recorded around the nation and the suspicion that batches of the Class A narcotic were laced with synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, drug support organizations advise heroin users of the high risk.
Heroin was allegedly diluted to increase profits, even though the substance is potentially lethal.
Lawrence Gibbons, the National Crime Agency’s drug threat head, stated: “As they exploit vulnerable people for their financial gain, drug traffickers pose a major threat to our communities.
Organized crime groups have been known to taint Class A substances with synthetic opioids hundreds of times stronger than heroin, which can cause fatal overdoses, to enhance earnings.
Profit-motivated drug traffickers who commit murder
Bev, a former heroin user who has lost several friends to overdose, told that the pushers were committing “murder.”
She stated, “People are dying because drug dealers are combining it with who knows what chemical.” “Considering the weight? So they may obtain a profit?
“This is murder. Knowing that people are dying because of what you’ve given them is murder.”
She cried as she explained what it was like to lose a close friend to drug use.
Her friend, who had ingested heroin, fainted in the hostel they shared.
She stated, “I don’t believe you ever get over it.”
“Watching someone breathe their last breath and being unable to communicate with them again or apologize because of a disagreement.
If you knew it was the last time you would communicate with that person, you would behave differently.
“I’m a certified sous-chef, but I can’t even afford 50 pence to purchase a Coke”
Another user identified as Jungle stated that the substance had destroyed his life.
He stated that he was so concerned about the safety of the heroin being sold on city streets that he had turned to methadone on prescription to wean himself off the lethal substance.
Since November, he claims he has lost close pals to heroin overdoses every week.
“I desire to stop taking heroin since it has destroyed my life. I have three lovely children, was married to their mother for 14 years, am a certified sous-chef, and my father was a medical doctor. And look at me, sometimes I can’t even find fifty pence to purchase a can of Coke.”
In the United Kingdom, more individuals die from opioid abuse than anywhere else in Europe, and this number has increased over the past decade.
Simultaneously, resources for drug services have been reduced by roughly a third. It leaves drug assistance services with fewer resources to assist aging and more vulnerable communities.
In the past decade, drug-related mortality has increased by 77% in the North West alone.
It is easier to obtain heroin than a taxi.
John Wilkinson has ceased drug use but considers himself “still an addict.”
After 27 years of using narcotics of Class A, he is aware of how simple it would be for him to relapse.
John now utilizes his experience to assist other Wigan street addicts.
He works with the drug, alcohol, and mental health charity With You to teach rough sleepers and members of the community who are likely to encounter an overdosed addict about life-saving measures they can take.
He claims that he is now in charge of his life.
“My life is now my life,” he stated. “The first thing I do in the morning is what I want, not what the medications urge me to do. People believe I don’t want a shower since I skipped showers when under the influence of heroin.
“It’s not that I lack desire. Because heroin does not wish for me too. I will awaken and proceed to score. I return from my current activity and then proceed to score again.”
John claims that it is “easier to obtain heroin in Wigan than to hail a taxi” due to the availability of the narcotic. Also, he claims he has never witnessed so many heroin overdose deaths.
“I could provide you with a lengthy list of names if I typed down the names of everyone I know who has died from this disease. I’m fortunate to be alive after such extensive drug misuse.”
John emphasizes that everyone must take the heroin issue seriously since it can damage any community.
“People adore these individuals. These are the son, daughter, uncles, and aunt of someone.”
