New estimates from the Home Office published in June this year show that people in England consumed 123,000kg of cocaine in 2024-25, equivalent to 2.5bn lines with a street value of roughly £9.8bn. The figures are derived from wastewater analysis, which scientists say can capture use that crime surveys miss. Crime survey data suggests the number of people reporting cocaine use has remained flat or fallen slightly since the pandemic, but experts say the discrepancy is explained by a similar or smaller number of users taking the drug more frequently. Survey data also excludes homeless or institutionalised people, and some respondents may be reluctant to admit illegal use.
Dr Josh Torrance, a specialist in drug markets, says wastewater analysis can reveal use that surveys miss. "People are often not honest about their drug use with strangers," he told the Guardian. Although sewage estimates have substantial margins of error, the direction of travel is broadly accurate.
Cocaine prices fell sharply for several years. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said wholesale prices dropped below pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and reached "historically low levels" in 2025, but has seen signs of a rise in 2026. Torrance tracks advertised prices for an ounce of cocaine and noted a fall from about £1,300 in March 2022 to about £700 by September 2025. The price then rose rapidly, reaching roughly £800 in June and £1,000 in July, before easing to about £950 in September. "I've never seen such a quick increase in the price of cocaine," Torrance said, adding that a supply disruption is suspected but the cause is difficult to pin down.
High purity has accompanied the cheap supply. Torrance said cocaine sold as "pure" is often 70-80% pure, and a more diluted tier may be about 60%. The NCA says wholesale purity has remained high in recent years. In Torrance's view, "a reduced price drives up use. With increased use and increased purity, you end up with more deaths."
Crime survey data shows younger people remain the most likely to use cocaine, but use is falling among the young and rising among older age groups. In England, 33,612 people started treatment for cocaine problems in 2024-25, up 57% from 2019-20. People in their 30s were the largest age group seeking help, a shift from a decade ago when those in their 20s dominated. "We've seen a cohort of cocaine users age and continue to use cocaine," Torrance said.
Recorded crime rates mentioning cocaine have risen 10% since 2019, with police recording almost 30,000 such crimes in 2025. Most were drug offences, but 18% were violent crimes and 4% were sexual offences, including 344 rapes. Home Office figures suggest nearly six in 10 police drug tests carried out on people arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse were positive for cocaine between July 2025 and June this year.
Deaths from cocaine in England and Wales have reached record levels, driven mainly by older users. More than half of cocaine deaths registered last year involved someone over 40. Torrance said acute overdose deaths often involve cardiac problems, while long-term use adds to health risks. An independent report last year found the UK lacked a coordinated drug prevention strategy with dedicated funding. "One reason cocaine deaths have risen so dramatically over the last five to 10 years is that we didn't invest in upstream prevention," Torrance said.