Over the last few years across the world there’s been a huge rise in the misuse of opioids, and since the 1980s heroin has caused huge problems for many people and communities across the UK.
Visit any drug rehab centre across the country and you’ll see the damage it can do to people, often hitting people and communities that struggle most with the likes of unemployment, poverty and social deprivation.
Films like Trainspotting in the 1990s really shone a light on the problem, while it’s not confined to big cities, but many towns and smaller cities too. But where in the UK is heroin hitting hardest to this day?
Glasgow
One of the worst affected cities in the country for heroin use is Glasgow. Once a bustling port city, the loss of work and poverty in many parts of the city has seen a huge amount of people turn to substances and as a result the city records some of the highest drug-related death rates in Europe.
In 2021 alone, Glasgow saw almost 300 drug-related deaths, many as a result of heroin or methadone, and it’s largely linked to the poverty, unemployment and homelessness in the city. The city has introduced supervised drug consumption rooms to try and reduce deaths, but it’s a problem that is still prominent.
Liverpool
Similar to Glasgow, Liverpool was a dock city that saw much of its work disappear, leading to a real epidemic of heroin abuse in the 1980s. Since then, the city has made significant strides to address such issues, but even today heroin addiction continues to affect many of its more deprived areas.
The legacy of deindustrialisation still lives on, and combined with the current socio-economic climate it’s leaving many communities across Liverpool in a vulnerable state, with those struggling turning to substances as a coping mechanism. However, as we know, that’s not sustainable and the rise in drug-related deaths on Merseyside is a real worry currently.
Middlesbrough
Located in the North East of England, Middlesbrough and the rest of the region is another part of the country that has had much of its work stripped from it, from mining to manufacturing and as a result levels of unemployment have soared. This has led to an increase in poverty in many parts of Middlesbrough, alongside social exclusion and that’s led to a spike in heroin problems among its residents.
The local council and health services are increasing the amount of support and treatment available in a bid to try and reduce the scale of the problem, but more needs to be done to transform parts of the town, increase the number of jobs and get many people back on their feet.
Blackpool
Blackpool has the highest rate of drug-related deaths in England and opiods are playing a big part in that. Once the go-to place for holidaymakers in the UK, the rise of cheap flights to warmer climes, as well as the overall economic situation in the country has seen Blackpool turn into a ghost town during much of the year.
That decline has led to high levels of poverty and social deprivation that has led to a huge spike in heroin addiction and drug-related crime. Walk down the seafront and it’s more prominent than ever before. It’s stretching public health services greatly and the problem shows no sign of slowing down with calls for more investment to help tackle what is a huge crisis.
Belfast
Northern Ireland has also been grappling with rising levels of heroin use, with Belfast emerging as a key hotspot. The city has seen a sharp increase in drug-related deaths over the past decade, with heroin being a major contributor. As in other areas, socio-economic factors such as unemployment, poverty, and mental health issues are driving the heroin crisis in Belfast.
Efforts have been made to improve access to treatment and support services in Belfast, but stigma around drug use and limited resources have made it difficult to get a handle on the problem. The heroin crisis in Northern Ireland is seen as part of a broader trend of increasing drug misuse across the region.
