Concerns have been raised by health chiefs over a rise in cocaine use in Wales, with latest figures from Public Health Wales (PHW) showing that cocaine was involved in 65 deaths in 2023, accounting for a quarter of all drug misuse fatalities.

In 2023, 377 drug poisoning deaths were recorded in Wales – up from 318 in 2022.

Prof Rick Lines, Head of the Substance Misuse Programme at PHW, said: "These figures are consistent with information from local services that reflect increases in both powder cocaine and crack cocaine use across Wales.

“These evolving trends point to a need to expand our services to meet the needs of stimulant users generally, and particularly people who smoke crack cocaine who are often particularly vulnerable.”