Welcome rise of numbers in drug & alcohol treatment

Substance use

Total numbers in every substance group grew in 2023 to 2024, however there was little change within the relative proportions of all adults in remedy.

Slightly below half (44%) of adults in remedy had been there for issues with opiates. Regardless of a slight lower within the proportion of individuals on this group over time (down from 48% in 2022 to 2023), it stays the most important substance group, with 137,965 folks. 

Individuals in remedy for alcohol alone make up the second largest group (30%) of adults in remedy. The proportion of individuals on this group has remained comparatively secure at 30% in 2022 to 2023, regardless of the variety of folks on this group rising from 86,257 to 94,173.

The opposite 2 substance teams elevated as a proportion of all adults in remedy. There was a 1.4 share level enhance within the non-opiate group and a 1.3 share level enhance within the non-opiate and alcohol group. This follows a 0.1 share level rise final 12 months for the non-opiate group and a 0.4 share level enhance for the non-opiate and alcohol group.

Substance use traits

After a rise final 12 months, the proportion of adults coming into remedy for issues with crack cocaine use remained the identical as final 12 months (19%, or 30,065 folks). Nonetheless, the proportion of people who find themselves utilizing crack with opiates decreased barely (from 15% to 14%) and people who are utilizing crack with out opiates elevated barely (from 4% to five%).

The proportion of adults beginning remedy for powder cocaine issues elevated by 2 share factors (from 17% to 19%), the best proportion since reporting started.

The proportion of recent entrants to remedy with hashish issues remained secure this 12 months, with the proportion of this group rising by 0.5 share factors (20.9% to 21.4%). The variety of new entrants with benzodiazepine issues elevated from 3,620 in 2022 to 2023 to three,872 this 12 months, though the proportion relative to all new entrants decreased by 0.2 share factors (2.6% in 2022 to 2023, 2.4% in 2023 to 2024).

Ketamine

There was a rise within the proportion of adults coming into remedy in 2023 to 2024 with ketamine issues (from 1.6% in 2022 to 2023 to 2.3% this 12 months). The variety of ketamine customers beginning remedy (3,609) is now over 8 occasions larger than it was in 2014 to 2015, when the quantity was 426.

Therapy exits

There have been 137,477 individuals who exited the drug and alcohol remedy system in 2023 to 2024. Almost half (47%) of people who left had efficiently accomplished their remedy, free from dependence. That is just like the proportion of people that efficiently accomplished remedy within the earlier 12 months (46%).

The entire quantity of people that died whereas in touch with remedy providers in 2023 to 2024 was 4,022, or 1.3% of all adults in remedy. This represents a 0.14 share level lower within the proportion of deaths of all adults in remedy in comparison with final 12 months.