Cocaine overdose deaths increase to record levels

The number of cocaine users dying after overdosing on the drug has reached record levels.

Figures published today reveal that 235 people took fatal amounts of the drug last year compared with just 154 in 2004. The toll from overdose deaths for both illegal and legal drugs such as painkiller Tramadol also soared to its highest level.

The Office for National Statistics figures show there were 2,928 poisoning deaths last year, an 11 per cent increase on 2007 and the highest figure since 2001. Of those, 2,075 were men.

The highest number of deaths related to drug misuse was among 30 to 39-year-olds. But the ONS report reveals the fastest rise in fatalities was in users aged 40 to 49.

Heroin and morphine were to blame for 897 fatalities, almost a third of the entire death toll from illegal drugs.

There were also 20 deaths associated with rave and date-rape drug GHB. There was just one fatality from a GHB overdose in 2004.

The Liberal Democrats branded the figures "horrifying" and called for a rethink of government policy.

Norman Lamb, the Lib-Dem shadow health secretary, said: "These are horrifying statistics. The toll of damage from drugs is immense and the cost to the NHS is enormous. The Government's punitive policies and heavy-handed rhetoric on drugs are failing. They must urgently rethink their strategy before even more lives are lost."