The 25 deaths recorded in 2023 represent a significant increase from 18 in 2022 and mark the highest annual toll since records began in 1993.
The rise in Bromley mirrors a national trend, with drug-related deaths across England and Wales reaching an all-time high.
A total of 5,448 deaths were registered in 2023, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year and the highest number on record.
The figures, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), include deaths related to poisonings and drug misuse involving both controlled and non-controlled substances.
In south east London, Bexley saw 11 drug-related deaths in 2023, up from eight the previous year.
Greenwich reported a decrease, with 10 deaths compared to 15 in 2022, while Lewisham registered 22 deaths, up from 19 in 2022.
The figures cover deaths related to poisonings and drug misuse, from both controlled and non-controlled drugs.
Registered drug deaths nationwide have now risen every year since 2012.
The ONS said due to delays, more than half of the deaths reported in their latest data for 2023 happened in previous years.
Greg Ceely, head of population health monitoring at the ONS, said: “Around half of the deaths involve an opiate, such as heroin or morphine. We saw a large rise in the number of cocaine deaths, which account for a fifth of all deaths related to drug poisoning in 2023.”
The figures show the North East had the highest rate of drug deaths in 2021-23, with 15.7 per 100,000 of the population. London had the lowest rate at 5.5 per 100,000.
Lee Fernandes, drug treatment expert at the UKATG, called the rise “a travesty”.
He urged the Government “to take their heads out of the sand and recognise that we’re on a cliff edge”.
Mr Fernandes also highlighted the need to acknowledge the “clear North-South divide”.
“When it comes to drug deaths, people’s lives should not be dependent on a postcode lottery,” he added.
Clare Taylor, chief operating officer at drug treatment provider Turning Point, said synthetic opioids – which are lab-produced and are hundreds of times stronger than heroin – are “increasingly being detected in the drug supply which is particularly concerning and putting many more people at risk of accidental overdose”.
There were 52 deaths registered involving nitazenes – synthetic opiods – in 2023, up from 38 the previous year.
She called for better availability of services where drugs can be checked for purity and contaminants and for greater provision of the opioid overdose reversal drug, Naloxone.
The ONS said around half of the deaths last year involved an opiate, such as heroine or morphine, while cocaine deaths have doubled since 2011 and accounted for a fifth of all fatalities in 2023.
Ms Taylor said the rise in cocaine-related deaths is “alarming”, adding “it’s vital that services provide advice and support for individuals”.
Minister for public health and prevention Andrew Gwynne said: “Drug-related deaths are tragically at record highs.
“Through our mission-driven Government, we will work with partners across health, policing and wider public services to drive down drug use and build a fairer Britain for all.”
