The Welsh drug deaths crisis
The latest report from Public Health Wales details the drug deaths in this country over the 2020/2021 period. According to statistics on record, there were 322 mortalities due to drug poisoning in 2021. This marks a distressing 44% increase from the previous calendar year.
Of these, 210 were classed as deaths due to drug misuse, signifying a 41% rise from the 2020 statistics. Opioids remain the leading cause of these incidents, but substances such as diazepam, cocaine and methadone also lead to drug deaths.
Poly-drug use – mixing different substances or taking alcohol with drugs – occurred in 62% of drug misuse deaths. Swansea, a coastal city in Wales, experienced 119 drug deaths in the three years leading up to 2022. While an excessive supply of cheap or fake drugs is partly to blame for these fatalities, many feel that the long waiting periods for treatment also play a significant role.
Long waiting periods for drug treatment
Taking the step to ask for help with alcohol or drug addiction is often difficult and complex. It takes great amounts of courage for these people to acknowledge their problems and admit to needing help.
Reports show that drug users can wait up to a year to get treatment for drug use. However, many need these interventions urgently, and long waiting times have dire consequences, often resulting in the death of the drug user.
According to a Freedom of Information survey conducted by Wales Online, there are 83 people on the Swansea treatment waiting list. Eight of these drug or alcohol misusers have been waiting for more than 41 weeks to get help.
This is simply too long and partly explains why Wales is a red flag for drug deaths. The University of South Wales confirmed that timely drug and alcohol misuse treatment is critical to bringing down drug mortality rates.
Swansea has the highest drug poisoning fatality rate, according to an Office for National Statistics 2022 report. Cities such as Swansea are aiming to address this problem with a new prescribing model, as lives are not only lost to hard drugs but also prescribed benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax.
Authorities recognise the problem and find it concerning that despite drug control efforts, drug deaths remain high. Bodies such as the police, local councils and health boards will combine initiatives and efforts to ensure that people who need help can access it in good time.
Measures will include housing for drug misusers, the distribution of sterile needles, and testing for viruses to lower infection risks. These initiatives include the use of Naloxone to avoid drug deaths.
Importance of testing
Continuous testing is key to the success of any drug treatment programme. As stated, testing for infections can identify secondary risks leading to drug deaths. Similarly, testing for drugs can help authorities gauge the success of treatment programmes.
For example, a workplace testing scheme helps gather data on perpetual overdose dangers and keeps these environments safer. It also helps to identify what changes must be implemented in a treatment regime to obtain greater success and avoid drug deaths.