An illicit drug was taken by nine per cent of adults (16-59) last year, with the figure rising to 19.8 per cent for 16-24 year olds, according to Statistics on Drug Misuse released by NHS Digital.

In 2017/18 there were 7,258 hospital admissions for drug-related mental and behavioural disorders – 74 per cent of them being male. This is a fall of 16 per cent over 2 years, from 8,621 in 2015/16, although the current level is still nine per cent higher than 2007/08 (6,675).

However, admissions have increased by 85 per cent in those aged 45 and over since 2007/08 (from 638 to 1,182), compared with only a one per cent increase for those aged under 45.

There were 17,031 admissions in 2017/18 for poisoning by drug misuse, a similar level to 2016/17. This is six per cent lower than two years ago in 2015/16 (18,128), but still nine per cemt higher than 2012/13 (15,580).

Blackpool had the highest admission rate with 61 per 100,000 population. Four of the five lowest rates were in London boroughs.