Drug-related and drug misuse deaths in Northern Ireland, 2023

This report presents statistics on Northern Ireland (NI) drug-related mortality in 2023. Figures are based on deaths registered in NI that are known to be drug-related or a direct consequence of drug misuse.

Due to an error in the classification of Pregabalin and Gabapentin in previous reports (not counted in drug misuse deaths) a correction has been made to the number of drug misuse deaths from 2020 to 2022 previously published.

Key points

• Figures show there were 169 drug related deaths registered in 2023; a 47% increase on the total registered a decade ago. Since 2013, Northern Ireland has seen registered deaths due to drug-related causes rise from 115 to a peak of 218 in 2020 and then falling to 169 in 2023. It is important to note that registration-based figures build in delays arising from system wide processes which can drive annual fluctuations in the series.
• Considering a three-year average trend, the average number of drug-related deaths rose from 109.0 in 2013 to 207.3 in 2021, falling to 178.7 in 2023.
• Similar to previous years, males accounted for approximately two-thirds (65.1 per cent) of drug-related deaths in 2023.
• Looking at the number of deaths by age, the 25-34 age group had the highest crude drug-related mortality rate in 2023, at 21.6 per 100,000 population and the highest crude mortality rate of drug misuse deaths at 19.6 per 100,000 population.
• The average age-standardised drug-related death rate for 2021 to 2023 was 9.7 deaths per 100,000, the lowest average rate since 2019. The comparable average rate for drug misuse deaths was 8.2 deaths per 100,000. Prior to this, the three-year average age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) for both drug-related deaths and drug misuse deaths peaked in 2021 at 11.2 and 9.5 per 100,000 respectively.
• Similar to previous years, the drug group mentioned most often in drug-related deaths was opioids, appearing in 103 cases in 2023. However, Pregabalin was the specific drug mentioned most often, mentioned in 67 of the 169 deaths registered in 2023.
• The percentage of drug-related deaths also involving alcohol has been declining over the last decade, from 28.7 per cent in 2013 to 18.3 per cent in 2023.
• Almost three-quarters (74.6 per cent) of drug-related deaths in 2023 involved two or more drugs. In contrast in 2013, 53.0 per cent of drug-related deaths involved two or more drugs.
• Cocaine emerged as the predominant substance mentioned in deaths involving only one drug in 2023, contributing to 5.9 per cent of total drug-related deaths (169) and 35.7 per cent (10) of single-drug deaths (28).
• Belfast Local Government District (LGD) had the highest number of drug-related deaths (63). Drug-related and drug misuse deaths continue to be higher in areas of highest deprivation.

Notes to editors: 

The full report and tables are available from the Drug-related deaths webpage.

If you would like to receive alerts about Vital Statistics releases, please email demography@nisra.gov.uk

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