The Green Party Drugs Policy Working Group requested Jenny initiate this debate which took place yesterday: To ask His Majesty’s Government, in light of the rise in deaths linked to cocaine, ketamine and synthetic cannabinoid use, what plans they have to review their policy on drug prohibition and the criminalisation of people who use drugs.

The Minister of State, Home Office answered for HMG:

My Lords, drug misuse deaths in 2025 were down on those registered in the previous year. Every drug-related death, however, remains a tragedy. Drug deaths are best prevented by a combination of actions, including tackling drug supply, effective treatment and recovery support, clear societal messaging about the harms that drugs do, and a robust legislative framework to deter possession and supply.

My supplementary question was:

I thank Lord Hanson for his Answer, but I did not hear anything new in there. Until the Government do have better drug policies, knowing the number of deaths from illegal drugs is incredibly important. To do that, you need to triangulate with health data, and you need to establish whether serious violence or suicide has taken place, especially for women. What measures might the Government take to make sure that their recording of deaths is actually accurate?

Lord Hanson of Flint replied for HMG:

The noble Baroness raises an important point, and I hope I can assure her that the Government take that seriously. We have asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to look at writing four reports for us, particularly focused on women and girls. That will include the role of drugs in domestic abuse and in wider violence against women and girls. We have also set up a working group to review matters concerning the very issue she raises, which is the recording of drug-related deaths and how they are defined across all parts of the United Kingdom.

Hansard record here: Drugs: Prohibition and Criminalisation – Hansard – UK Parliament