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Why did cocaine deaths rise?

Charities suggest the increase in cocaine-related deaths, now surpassing heroin, is due to the drug becoming more potent and easier to access. This trend occurred even as the overall drug death rate in England and Wales saw a decrease, the first since 2012, according to the Office for National Statistics.

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Cocaine now causes more drug deaths than heroin, with 1,233 in 2025

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