The number of deaths attributed to cocaine use in England and Wales has nearly quadrupled over the past decade, surpassing heroin for the first time as the leading single substance linked to drug poisoning fatalities. In 2025, cocaine was cited in more than one in five drug poisoning deaths, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Charities suggest that increased purity and availability of cocaine are contributing factors to the rise in deaths. The ONS data also indicates a record 115 ketamine-related deaths were registered in 2025, nearly double the figure from the previous year.
Despite the rise in cocaine-related deaths, the overall rate of drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales fell for the first time since 2012. In 2025, there were 5,519 drug poisoning deaths registered, equating to 92.4 deaths per million people. This represents a decrease from 93.9 deaths per million people recorded the year prior.
However, experts have highlighted growing regional inequalities, noting that the rate of drug deaths in the North East is more than double that of London. Cocaine was mentioned in 1,233 cases in 2025, a slight decrease from the previous year but still more than the 1,210 deaths linked to heroin or morphine, which also saw a decline. Combined, deaths linked to opiates and opioids remain higher than those linked to cocaine alone.
The ONS also noted a lag between when deaths occur and when they are officially registered. In Scotland, drug deaths rose by 11% in 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching the worst mortality rate in Europe. In Northern Ireland, drug-related deaths increased by 7.1% between 2021-2023 and 2022-2024.