Drug use in England appears to be changing, in keeping with our latest survey of adults. Mental health and wellness.
The Adult Psychiatric Patient Survey (APMS) began in 1993 and is the longest running mental health survey series on the planet. This national study gives us a clearer picture of mental health in England. Because it includes people from all walks of life, not only those that use NHS services, it shows how mental health is changing across the population.
i Latest surveya random sample of nearly 7,000 adults aged 16 to 100 in England took part in detailed interviews at home, each lasting an hour and a half. Participants were asked questions on their mental health, whether or not they used any illegal drugs, and in the event that they experienced symptoms of dependence, equivalent to withdrawal symptoms or increased tolerance.
Although Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) The official source of presidency statistics on illegal drug use in England is a survey of crime. As such, individuals surveyed may not feel comfortable disclosing their illicit activities – meaning that the CSEW may not fully capture the extent of drug use across the population.
Because our survey is of population health and well-being, participants could also be more willing to reveal their drug use. This gives us a priceless alternative lens on drug use and a possibility to cross-check against official figures.
Our report highlights significant changes in what we all know concerning the extent of drug use in England, the varieties of adults and the degree to which individuals may grow to be depending on these drugs.
Drug use could also be more widespread
Our findings show that a better proportion of adults in England use drugs than official figures suggest.
We found that 18.1% of 16- to 24-year-olds reported using illegal drugs prior to now 12 months. This is higher than the 16.5% reported by CESW for a similar age group and time period.
Just a few aspects could also be at play here.
Our survey doesn't include Wales – so the geographical coverage will not be the identical between the 2 surveys – and we also asked participants about substances not included within the CSEW. This includes amyl nitrites, prescription opioids, synthetic cannabinoids and volatile compounds. This may contribute to a more complete picture of drug use in a broader population.
But even once we compare only one drug type, the differences grow to be clear: 4.3% of participants aged 16 to 24 reported using ketamine prior to now 12 months, in comparison with 16 to 24 12 months olds within the CSEW.
This suggests that surveys designed around crime may result in underreporting, as people could also be less willing to reveal illegal behavior in that context. Approaching drug use from a mental health perspective can provide a more accurate picture of what is de facto happening.
Non-medical use of prescription opioids
Until now, little was known concerning the proportion of individuals in England who used non-prescription opioids attributable to an absence of information. So our survey asked people in the event that they had ever used opioid medications equivalent to buprenorphine, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone and tramadol that weren't prescribed to them.
About 33% of participants reported that they'd – a much higher proportion reporting one other opioid, heroin (which was lower than 1%). This suggests that the nonmedical use of prescription opioids could also be a separate and more widespread problem.
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Men and girls were equally more likely to report using prescription opioids than those not prescribed them. Prevalence was highest amongst 25- to 34-year-olds. This suggests that use might not be explained by self-medication for medical conditions and physical pain, which is more common in older age groups.
Gender Profile of Drug Dependence
Among 25- to 34-year-olds, men were twice as likely as men to report signs of dependency—which can reflect gender differences in family responsibilities or life stage. But amongst 16- to 24-year-olds, signs of drug dependence were equally common in men and girls.
This is a remarkable change. In earlier waves of the survey series, young people consistently showed this High levels of drug abuse and dependence. This seems to now not be the case.
These findings suggest that young women could also be engaging in similar levels of risk-taking—or that young individuals are beginning to use drugs at a later age, with problems later down the road.
But given the relatively small variety of 16- to 24-year-olds within the sample, it's too early to say needless to say.
Cannabis addiction is on the rise
The proportion of adults reporting symptoms of cannabis dependence nearly doubled on this decade—from 2.8 percent in 2014 to five.4 percent in 2023-2024. Yet the rise is explained by a rise within the number of individuals using cannabis. In 2014, 7.2% of individuals reported using cannabis prior to now 12 months. In 2024, this figure rises to simply 8.7%.
It is subsequently likely that this increase in cannabis dependence is attributable to changing potency or other aspects.
A 2018 evaluation of drug seizures indicates that the UK cannabis market is increasingly populated. High power types. Strong has been linked to the ability of cannabis High risk of addiction. The growing range of cannabis products, equivalent to cannabinoids back, can be making it easier Access and use cannabis more often.
Lack of expert support
Only one in five adults who showed signs of drug dependence reported that they'd never received help or treatment for his or her drug use.
The survey also revealed a robust overlap between dependence and depression or anxiety.
This may present further challenges for mental health services by way of engagement and recovery.
Patterns of drug use and dependence seem like changing in England. It is very important to pay attention to these changing trends in order that support may be targeted effectively.