British drug deaths at an all-time high
A recent report in the British newspaper The Daily Mail has found that drug deaths related to cocaine and ecstasy are up a whopping 1200% since 1993.
The study detailed several interesting pieces of information that shed light into the demographic trends of drug abuse in England - many of which can be extrapolated to drug addiction in the United States.
- Cocaine and ecstasy use is up among individuals in the 40’s or older. The health of these individuals puts them in a higher-risk group for overdose.
- Mixing cocaine with alcohol use has become more popular in the United Kingdom. This can create a deadly mixture called cocaine-ethynyl which has claimed the life of hundreds of individuals over the past several years.
- 293 people died in England from cocaine use last year, a shocking figure when you consider that only 23 people died from those drugs just a few short years ago.
- Heroin and morphine-related deaths are also up in England, rising to 829 in 2007 from 713 in 2006.
- Drug addiction and drug-related deaths among young people, while not decreasing has leveled off over the past few years. The real rise in drug use is among older men and women.
As in America, celebrities in England have had their struggles with drugs and alcohol. The tabloid industry in the United Kingdom is in many ways, even more intrusive than it is in the United States, allowing the public to see these lifestyles first-hand.
Whether or not this is impacting drug use among older Brits remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, you can expect demand at quality drug rehab facilities to rise in the coming years across the pond.
Tags: Add new tag, cocaine addiction, drug addiction, ecstasy