Drug overdose deaths high at British seaside resorts

According to a report published on Wednesday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), seaside holiday resorts comprise six of the top-ten cities and towns in England and Wales with the greatest number of deaths due to drug overdoses.

ONS said that Blackpool, probably the most famous British seaside town because of its tower, recorded the highest rate of drug overdose deaths in 2016, with 14 heroin and morphine deaths per 100,000 residents.

Blackpool’s overdose death rate is almost twice as high as the rate in inland town Burnley, which reported a rate of 7.6. By comparison, the national average rate of overdose deaths in England was 1.7, while the rate in Wales was 2.3. In its glory days, Blackpool was Britain’s most popular seaside holiday resort, but the arrival of package holiday vacations abroad in the 1960’s led to its decline.

ONS said that Blackpool is currently the fourth most deprived location of 326 local authorities. Public Health England has stated that there is a correlation between high deprivation and drug abuse due to social factors, including employment and housing issues.

The other seaside communities ranked in the top-ten locations for drug overdose deaths include Hastings, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Thanet, and Swansea. Other non-resort locations in the top-ten list include Reading, North Port Talbot, and Hyndburn.

ONS said that there were 2,593 deaths in 2016 in England and Wales due to drug abuse, with heroin and morphine accounting for 1,209 of the deaths.