UK Drug Deaths Rise Amid Surge in Synthetic Cannabinoids

The Office for National Statistics reported that deaths from synthetic cannabinoids, known as Spice, more than doubled in 2025 in England and Wales, reaching 95 cases. This marks the highest number recorded to date.

Experts have linked the rise in Spice-related deaths to illicit labs in China and India, which have shifted production after China’s crackdown on the drug in 2021. These labs are now producing 'DIY' kits for home assembly in the UK.

Nitazenes, another class of synthetic opioids, caused over 100 deaths in 2025, down from 195 in 2024 but still three times higher than in 2023. Researchers warn that the actual death toll may be underestimated by a third due to the drug’s potency and difficulty in detection.

Cocaine overtook heroin and morphine as the most commonly mentioned drug in drug-poisoning deaths, responsible for over 1,200 fatalities. Meanwhile, the number of men dying from drug-related causes reached a new high in 2025, at 3,778 deaths.

Dr. Caroline Copeland, a pharmacology expert, noted that Spice production has moved from China to India and possibly Pakistan, where regulatory frameworks have not yet caught up with the scale of illicit manufacturing.

Campaigners have raised concerns over the growing impact on men, with the North East of England reporting the highest drug death rate, despite a decline from the 2024 peak. Regional areas like Yorkshire and the Humber also saw the highest rates since 1993.