Drug poisoning deaths in Brighton and Hove rose by more than 28 per cent last year, according to recent statistics.
Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on November 4 showed that the local authority area recorded fifty deaths due to drug poisoning in 2025.
The latest figure marks a rise from 39 in 2024, which was the lowest total recorded since 2021.
Drug poisoning deaths cover intentional and accidental poisoning through controlled and non-controlled drugs, as well as deaths due to mental and behavioural disorders caused by drug use.
The data also paints a particularly stark picture for deaths amongst males due to drug misuse.
Brighton and Hove's male rate of 17.6 is over twice the England rate of 8.7, and about 2.5 times the South East rate of 7.0.
Drug misuse deaths are a subset of drug-poisoning deaths, with the ONS using specific criteria including where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on a death record.
Of the 2025 deaths, 36 were classified as related to drug misuse, compared with 25 the previous year.
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Across the wider Sussex area, 53 drug-poisoning deaths were also registered in East Sussex and 63 in West Sussex, a total of 166.
The figure is a slight increase on 2024's total of 162.
In East Sussex, the 2025 figures most notably included 13 deaths in Eastbourne, 12 in Hastings and 11 in Lewes.
In West Sussex, 17 deaths were registered in Arun and 10 in Worthing.
The ONS figures are based on the year deaths are registered, not necessarily the year they occurred, because of registration delays.
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