Small increase in Wiltshire drug deaths over last ten years

New statistics have revealed that there was a small increase in the amount of drug deaths in Wiltshire last year when compared to 10 years previous.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows there was 41 in total in 2019 up from 30 in 2009.

Those figures can be broken down into two types of fatality:

Drug poisoning - accidents, suicides and assaults involving legal and illegal drugs, prescription drugs and over the counter medicines

Drug misuse - death where the underlying cause is drug abuse or drug dependence, where substances controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act are involved

It's a similar story for the new figures in the New Forest.

Last year saw 15 drug deaths, compared to 12 in 2009.

However, the Test Valley Borough Council area is bucking the trend a little.

There was just 7 deaths related to drugs in 2019, which is down from 12, ten years previously.

FULL BREAKDOWN

Wiltshire 2009/2019:

• Poisonings - 20/23

• Misuse - 18/10

New Forest 2009/2019:

• Poisonings - 8/10

• Misuse - 4/5

Test Valley 2009/2019:

• Poisonings - 8/5

• Misuse - 4/2

There was a record high number of drug deaths in England and Wales last year.

4,393 were registered, with two-thirds of those who died being men.

You can find the full breakdown of drug deaths from local authorities across the country by going to the ONS website.

• wiltshire
• test valley
• new forest
• drug deaths