Data on deaths due to drug misuse are collated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Deaths due to drug misuse are defined as deaths where the underlying cause is poisoning, drug abuse or drug dependence and where any of the substances involved are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971). The underlying cause of death reflects the verdict of the coroner and is coded according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

Considering the ICD-10 definition, drug misuse deaths are defined as deaths where the underlying cause has been recorded as any of the codes F11 through F16 or F19 (mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance) or where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death record and the underlying cause is recoded as any of the codes X40 through to X44, X60 through to X64, Y10 through to Y14 (poisonings either accidental, intentional or undetermined intent), X85 (assault) or F18.

The data on this page comes from an ONS database which records all deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales (drug misuse is a subset of all drug poisonings).

Data are presented either as single years or in grouped three year (for example 2001 to 2003 combined), or five year periods (for example 1999-2003 combined) in order to concur with ONS regulations on publishing data. London figures refer to deaths that occurred in London residents.

Date	Title	Format	View
19 Dec 2006	Women drug users in London: an investigation into prevalence, drug using patterns and treatment issues.
17 Nov 2006	Deaths Due to Drug Misuse, Drug Action Team Level, 1998-2004
20 Jan 2006	Deaths due to drug misuse in London: data from the Office of National Statistics

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• The number of drug misuse deaths in London has declined from a peak of 303 in 1998 to 150 in 2003, a reduction of just over 50%.
• In London from 1999 through to 2003, the period which ties in with the Government’s target to reduce the number of drug related deaths in England as a whole, there was a statistically significant decrease of, on average, 35 deaths per year.
• Deaths due to drugs misuse in London have declined by 50% and 42% in men and women respectively, from 1999 to 2003.
• In London women comprised between 17% and 25% of all drug misuse deaths over the period 1999 to 2003.
• From 1998, the proportion of drug misuse deaths in London (as a proportion of the total for England) declined from 22% to 13%.
• For all years since 1993, the greatest proportion of deaths due to drug misuse in London, were attributable to drug abuse and dependence.
• Age standardised death rates, which take account of differences in the age structure of the areas being compared, were consistently higher in inner London compared to outer London (of a factor of approximately 2.5).
• The greatest proportion of drug misuse deaths occurred in the 25-34 age group.
• There was wide variation in age standardised death rates in London boroughs in the period 1999-2003. The highest rates were found in Camden, 8.2 (95% CI 6.6-9.9), Hammersmith and Fulham, 6.3 (95% CI 4.7-7.9) and Lambeth, 6.1 (95% CI 4.9-7.3).
• There was a statistically significant decline in age standardised drug misuse death rates between 6 time periods (1994-1998 through to 1999-2003) in Barking and Dagenham (2.2 to 1.2), Brent (3.3 to 1.6), Havering (1.4 to 0.9), Islington (6.3 to 4.7), Lewisham (4.0 to 2.7), Tower Hamlets (4.5 to 3.3), Wandsworth (3.4 to 1.9) and Westminster (7.6 to 4.5). There was also some evidence of a statistically significant decline in Hackney and City of London (4.4 to 3.3). An increase was observed in Barnet (1.9 to 2.2), Bromley (1.5 to 1.9), Enfield (1.6 to 2.3), and Sutton (1.1 to 1.9) and some evidence of a statistically significant increase in Richmond upon Thames (1.9 to 2.6); no significant trend was observed in the remaining boroughs. Linear regression was used to assess trends.
• In England, the number of deaths due to drug misuse increased from 1993 until 2000 (from 821 to 1565) and then decreased in 2001 to 1528, continuing to decrease in the following two years to 1181 in 2003.
• From 1999 through to 2003, the period which ties in with the Government’s target to reduce the number of drug related deaths, there was a decrease in the number of deaths due to drug misuse of 20% in England compared to 48% in London.
• Opiates were the most common substance mentioned on death certificates in both London and England at approximately 53%.
• A higher proportion of death certificates mentioned heroin/morphine (around 29% across all years) in England than in London (around 18% across all years). Mentions of cocaine were consistently higher in London compared to England.