Drugs

Drugs overview

If you are worried about your, or someone else’s use of drugs, help is at hand. Drug and alcohol advice details the advice, help and support available.

Drug use can cause serious physical and psychological harm to the individual as well as friends, families and communities of those affected.

Drug use is a significant cause of premature mortality (under 75 years) in England. Analysis in the Global Burden of Disease study (2019) shows that drug use disorders are now the third highest ranked cause of death in the 15 to 49 age group in England.

In Southampton between 2021 and 2023 (provisional) there were 59 drug-related deaths, equivalent to 1,598 years of life lost, a greater loss of life years than that caused by lung cancer (329 deaths and 1,318 years of life lost).

People will begin using drugs before they can fully understand or judge the immediate and long-term risks. Drugs can seem like they make you feel better, particularly when feeling stressed, tired, shy or lonely. However, they can make you feel worse through cravings, low mood and/or anxiety.

For many people with drug dependence, they don’t choose to use, it is a symptom of other problems such as mental ill health, abuse, grief, loss, and other trauma. This can also make it difficult to limit, reduce or stop using without help and sometimes even with help. Many people who have drug related issues are ashamed of their use or the associated problems. It can take courage to seek help; compassion and self-compassion are effective in improving engagement in services and outcomes. Judgement from others can put people off seeking support.

More information can be found is the drugs dashboard below and in the resources section.

Southampton’s risk factors

In 2022/23, England figures suggest 1 in 10 adults (9.5%) aged 16 to 59 have taken a drug in the past year. Particular characteristics of Southampton suggest that this could have the potential to be higher in the city. More information is available from the Office for National Statistics.

• Southampton is a port city:
  • Drug use has shown to be higher in urban areas

• Southampton has slightly more men than women living in the city:
  • 11.6% of men used a drug in the last 12 months compared to 7.3% of women in England

• Southampton is a young city:
  • In England, 1 in 6 (17.6%) 16 to 24 year olds have taken a drug within the last year. This age group are also more likely to be frequent drug users (defined as taking any drug more than once a month) at 4.7%, double the rate when compared to people ages 16 to 59 years. Frequent drug use is not a proxy measure for drug dependence

• Southampton has a higher proportion of private renters than observed across England:
  • Private renters are more likely to have used drugs in the last year

• Over 45% of Southampton’s population live in neighbourhoods within the 30% most deprived areas in England:
  • Those in the lowest total household income bands were more likely to have taken any drug. Although, cocaine usage was higher in higher income households

More information can be found is the drugs dashboard below and in the resources section.

Hospital admissions related to drug use

In England, admission differ by age band and deprivation. Hospital admission rates for drug-related mental and behavioural disorders, are highest amongst 25 to 34 year olds. For admission for drug poisoning, the highest is amongst 35 to 44 year olds. Despite this, the 55 to 64 years old category has seen the largest percentage increase in both drug admission types since 2012/13. Admissions for drug poisoning were almost 5 times more likely in the most deprived areas compared to the least and for drug-related mental and behavioural disorder admissions, this was 8 times more likely in the most deprived (NHS Digital- hospital admissions).

For Southampton, hospital admissions due to substance use is only available for young people aged 15 to 24. Up until 2013/14 to 2015/16, Southampton has been statistically similar to England and had been steadily rising at a similar rate. Southampton reached its peak rate per 100,000 of 113.0 in 2015/16 to 2017/18 and was significantly higher than England (87.2 per 100,000). Southampton has since been decreasing in line with England’s trend however remaining significantly higher than England. In 2020/21 to 2022/23, Southampton’s rate was 83.9 per 100,000, the lowest it’s been since 2011/12 to 2013/14.

At sub-city level, Freemantle ward has the highest admissions with a rate of 247.6 per 100,000 in 2020/21 to 2022/23, significantly higher than the Southampton average of 67.4 per 100,000. By England deprivation the 20% most deprived areas of Southampton have the highest rate of admissions (94.1 per 100,000).

For drug poisoning admissions, Southampton in 2022/23 is the second highest amongst ONS comparators with a rate of 31.0 per 100,000, also higher than England (17.0). At a sub-city level, Freemantle has the highest admissions with a rate of 70.9 per 100,000, significantly higher than the Southampton average of 33.4 per 100,000 during the period of 2020/21 to 2022/23.

Counts relating to admissions for drug-related mental and behavioural disorders at local authority are no longer published. Local analysis at sub city level using previous data in 2019/20 to 2021/22 shows Bevois has the highest rate of admission episodes with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug related mental and behavioural disorders (587.3 per 100,000), significantly higher than the Southampton average (272.6 per 100,000). By England deprivation, there is a correlation between the admission rate and deprivation quintiles. The 20% most deprived areas of the city had a rate of 442.6 per 100,000, 5 times higher than the 20% least deprived areas of the city (86.2 per 100,000).

More information can be found is the drugs dashboard below and in the resources section.

Mortality and years of life lost

'Drug poisoning deaths' are one of the drug related deaths mortality indicators. 'Drug use deaths' are a subset as this only includes deaths from drugs that are classed as a 'controlled drug'.

In Southampton during 2021-23, 8.6 per 100,000 people died from drug poisoning, with men just over 1.5 times as likely to die than women. Since 2018-20, the female rate has more than doubled from 3.2 to 6.6 per 100,000. Slightly fewer deaths occurred from drug use with a rate of 4.2 people, although this figure has increased over the last 15 years (Deaths related to drug poisoning).

In Southampton, drug related deaths accounted for 5.1% of all years of life lost (1,598 years) in 2021-23 (pooled). There were 59 drug-related deaths in the same period, 0.5% of total deaths in Southampton.

More information can be found is the drugs dashboard below and in the resources section.

Care, treatment and policy

All individuals in contact with services were seen within three weeks to commence their first drug treatment in Southampton. It is estimated that almost half (44.7%) of opiate and/or crack cocaine users aged 18 and over were not in contact with drug treatment services in 2020/21, showing a high level of unmet need. The number of adults in treatment at specialist drug use services in Southampton equated to 5 in every 1,000 adults, higher when compared to the England average of 4 in 1,000 (2020/21). In 2023, of those non-opioid users accessing treatment, 28.9% successfully completed the program and did not re-present within 6 months, a slight increase from 24.9% in 2022 and now statistically similar to England (29.5%). For opioid users, 6.7% successfully completed the program, higher than England (5.1%).

Across England in 2022/23, more than two-thirds of people in treatment were men (68% men to 32% women). This proportion varies greatly by substance group. The age of those entering treatment has been increasing, with the median age of those in treatment for problems with non-opiates currently at 32 years old, increasing to 44 for those in treatment for problems involving opiates.

Data for England from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS), noted that the three most common referral sources, in 2022/23, were self-referral (59%), which could have been following advice from a healthcare professional or were referred by family and friends. Second was referrals from health and social care services (19%), including referrals from hospitals, GPs and social services. The third was from the criminal justice system (13%), the main sources were from arrest referral, prison or probation. For both drugs and alcohol, self-referral is the most common referral method, but likely due to the legality of alcohol, the last two methods (health and social care service referrals and criminal justice referrals) are in reversed positions.

There were 4,166 recorded deaths in treatment in 2022 to 2023, which was 1.4% of all people in treatment. Compared to 2021 to 2022, this is an 11% increase in the number of deaths (from 3,742) and is an increase in the proportion of people in treatment dying (from 1.3%). This is a higher proportion than the previous peak in 2020 to 2021 (1.35%). People with opiate problems accounted for 64% (2 out of 3) deaths. More information on adult substance use treatment statistics are available from Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

More information can be found is the drugs dashboard below and in the resources section.

Drug related crime

The connection between illicit drug use and crime is reflected in several different types of crime, these include: the illicit possession, use, or sale of controlled substances; crimes committed to get money to buy drugs; crimes committed whilst under the influence of drugs; and organised criminal activities to support the drug trade.

In 2022/23, there were 1,222 recorded drug offences in Southampton, a +19% increase compared to the previous year. Additionally, 1,224 drug affected crimes were recorded in Southampton during 2022/23, which is +7.6% higher than the previous year. The number of drug offences recorded by the police is heavily dependent on police activities and priorities, which change over time. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary note that Southampton is the most impacted district of organised crime groups. For example, almost half of all cannabis farms identified by the force in 2022 were in Southampton.

The link between drug offences and deprivation is less clear than in previous years. In 2022/23, the drug offence rate was 3 times higher in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the city compared to the least deprived; having been 4.9 times higher in 2021/22. Additionally, the highest rate of drug offences was recorded in the second deprivation quintile (5.7 per 1,000 population) in 2022/23. Although, this is not significantly higher than the rate in the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods (5.2 per 1,000 population).

For more information on crime in Southampton, see the Safe City Strategic Assessment page.