Death from cocaine use in England and Wales 1993-2022

In England and Wales, the number of deaths as a result of cocaine use has been increasing significantly over the last 25 years. In 1993 there were only eleven deaths due to cocaine use in England and Wales, by 2022 the number of deaths had risen 857. 

The UK has the highest share of users in Europe

In 2019, the United Kingdom had the highest prevalence of cocaine users in Europe at 2.7 percent. This was followed by Spain and the Netherlands which both had around two percent of individuals using cocaine in this period.

Age of cocaine users in the UK

When broken down by age, the highest prevalence of cocaine users in England and Wales can be found in the youngest age groups. Almost over six percent of those aged 15 to 24 years used cocaine in 2018, and 4.6 percent in the above age group, 25 to 34 years, used in the same year. Additionally, since 2010 the share of school children who have taken cocaine in England has increased.