LONDON, England and Wales – 2 August 2017: According to the findings of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), deaths related to benzodiazepines have annually increased in England and Wales from 284 deaths in 2012 to 406 deaths in 2016, as well as for new psychoactive substances (NPS), which have risen from 55 deaths to 123 deaths over the same period. Among NPS-related deaths, the number of deaths relating to synthetic cannabinoids in 2016 particularly increased to a total of 27 deaths from 8 deaths in the previous year, whereas the number of deaths relating to the synthetic cathinone mephedrone decreased significantly from 44 deaths in 2015 to 15 deaths in 2016.

For more information, please see:

Statistical Bulletin of the Office for National Statistics on “Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales: 2016 registrations” – https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2016registrations/pdf

UNODC News Clip “June 2017 – UNODC World Drug Report 2017: Use of synthetic cannabinoid products associated with severe health risks” – https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Announcement/Details/e6de2a61-2fe4-4a8a-9457-6d118124825a

Public Health England report on “Adult substance misuse statistics from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS)” – http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/adult-statistics-from-the-national-drug-treatment-monitoring-system-2015-2016%5B0%5D.pdf