Cocaine deaths hit record high in England and Wales as older users drive £9.8bn market
Sewage data shows a 26% rise in cocaine consumption since 2021 while crime survey numbers stay flat, indicating more frequent use by an ageing cohort that is fuelling record deaths and a £9.8bn annual market.
At a glance
- Sewage analysis estimates cocaine consumption in England rose 26% from 2021 to 2025, reaching 123,000kg with a £9.8bn street value.
- Crime survey data shows past-year use flat or falling since the pandemic, but treatment entries up 57% since 2019-20, suggesting more frequent use by an ageing cohort.
- Over half of record cocaine deaths in 2025 involved people over 40, while police recorded nearly 30,000 cocaine-related crimes including 344 rapes.
Record cocaine deaths in England and Wales have been driven by users over 40, even as overall usage numbers appear stable, according to Home Office sewage analysis and crime survey data examined by The Guardian.
Sewage samples indicate cocaine consumption rose 26% between 2021 and 2025, reaching an estimated 123,000kg in 2024-25 with a street value of £9.8bn. However, the Crime Survey for England and Wales shows the proportion of people reporting past-year use has remained flat or fallen slightly since the pandemic, suggesting a similar or smaller pool of users is consuming more frequently.
Wholesale prices fell to historically low levels in 2025 before rising sharply in mid-2026, according to the National Crime Agency and researcher Dr Josh Torrance. High purity – often 70-80% for “pure” cocaine – means cheaper supply is more dangerous, and Torrance links increased use and purity to rising deaths.
The user population is ageing. People in their 30s now form the largest group starting treatment for cocaine problems, up 57% since 2019-20, whereas a decade ago those in their 20s predominated. More than half of cocaine deaths registered last year involved someone over 40, reflecting a cohort that has continued using into middle age.
Police recorded nearly 30,000 crimes mentioning cocaine in 2025, a 10% rise since 2019, with 18% classified as violent offences and 4% as sexual offences including 344 rapes. Home Office data also show nearly six in ten drug tests on domestic abuse suspects were positive for cocaine between July 2025 and June 2026.
An independent report last year found the UK lacks a coordinated, funded drug prevention strategy. Torrance argues that earlier education and support for at-risk individuals could reduce long-term harms, saying: “The more we can do that, the fewer of these issues we’ll see decades down the line.”
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- Why are cocaine deaths rising in England and Wales?
- Deaths are driven by an ageing cohort of users who continue taking the drug, combined with high purity and more frequent use, leading to cardiac and long-term health risks.
- How much cocaine is consumed in England annually?
- Home Office sewage analysis estimates 123,000kg were consumed in 2024-25, equivalent to roughly 2.5 billion lines with a street value of £9.8bn.
- What does crime survey data show about cocaine use trends?
- The number of people reporting past-year use has remained flat or fallen slightly since the pandemic, but wastewater data suggests those who do use it are consuming more frequently.
