There are more than 80,000 people in Kent thought to be taking illegal drugs, new official figures have revealed.

A report to go before a meeting of the Kent Community Safety Partnership (KCSP) on Thursday (November 21) says that 32,000 of those are users of class A substances, such as heroin.

The report, to be discussed at County Hall in Maidstone, says the “unmet need” posed by opiate/crack cocaine users is 63%, compared to the national average of 54%.

This means the number of people getting the help they need to tackle their addiction is below the national average.

The partnership, chaired by Cllr Clair Bell, has been informed that the highly potent synthetic drugs, known as nitazenes, are on the rise.

The report states: “There are an estimated 81,000 people taking illegal drugs in Kent of which around 32,000 take Class A drugs.

“The modelled estimate of numbers for opiate and/or crack users (OCUs) in Kent is 5,647. The rate of unmet need of OCUs is 63%, and this is higher than the national average of 54%.

“The rate for people addicted to opiates and crack (OCU) in Kent is 5.9 (compared to England’s 8.9 per 1,000).”

Earlier this year, the then Conservative government banned 15 synthetic opiates which are now becoming more widespread in the UK.

The growing concern about nitazenes was highlighted late last year when Kent County Council (KCC) after it was reported there had been two deaths.

Antony Hook, a criminal barrister and leader of the Liberal Democrat group at KCC, said police must have more resources to target supply gangs and test seized batches for heroin adulterated with synthetic drugs.

The KCSP report tells members: “Another area of concern is the increasing trend for drug-related deaths, although the rate of Kent's drug deaths is still slightly below the national average.

“The threat from new synthetic opioid substances that are used to adulterate the supply of drugs also poses a national and local concern that puts drug users at higher risk of death.”

Fifteen synthetic opioids are now under the strictest controls in line with those of fentanyl, which has wrought havoc and death in the United States, to ensure pushers face tough penalties.

The then policing minister Chris Philp said: “Synthetic opioids are significantly more toxic than heroin and have led to thousands of deaths overseas. We are determined to ensure these destructive and lethal drugs do not take hold in our communities in the UK.”

According to the KCSP report, Kent’s estimated rate of 11.5 per 1000 in need of alcohol treatment services for dependent drinking (slightly lower than England average of 13.5). This is 14,000 people.”