Addiction affects people across all backgrounds, ages, and communities. It is far more common than many realise, and often remains hidden until it begins to impact health, relationships, or daily life. Real-world data helps show just how widespread and complex these experiences really are.
Addiction in Hertfordshire: Local Data and Insights
Alcohol and drug problems affect people across Hertfordshire, including many whose difficulties remain largely hidden from the people around them.
Someone may still be working, parenting, studying or meeting ordinary responsibilities while privately finding it harder to control their drinking, drug use or reliance on prescription medication.
The figures below draw primarily on the Hertfordshire Drug and Alcohol Strategy 2025–2030. They show the estimated level of need across the county, the number of people not currently receiving treatment and the close relationship between substance use and mental health.
Last updated: July 2026.
Hertfordshire Addiction Statistics at a Glance
- 11,826 people are estimated to experience problem alcohol use in Hertfordshire.
- 5,712 people are estimated to use opiates, crack cocaine or both.
- 76.7% of dependent alcohol users are estimated to have an unmet treatment need.
- 60.6% of opiate or crack users are estimated to have an unmet treatment need.
- 71 deaths related to drug overdose or poisoning were registered in Hertfordshire in 2023.
- 149 children and young people entered structured substance-use treatment in the latest reported year.
- 81% of people in non-opiate treatment and 78% of people in alcohol treatment were recorded as having a co-occurring mental health need.
- Alcohol harm is estimated to cost Hertfordshire approximately £524.8 million each year.
These figures describe the county as a whole. They do not establish whether any individual person has an addiction or what form of support they may need.
Alcohol Dependence and Unmet Treatment Need
The Hertfordshire Drug and Alcohol Strategy estimates that 11,826 people across the county experience problem alcohol use.
It also reports an estimated unmet treatment need of 76.7% among dependent alcohol users. In practical terms, this means that a substantial proportion of people believed to need structured support are not currently receiving it.
There are many reasons why someone may not seek treatment. They may not recognise how serious the drinking has become, may feel ashamed about asking for help or may believe they should be able to stop without support.
Others remain outwardly functional. Work continues, bills are paid and family responsibilities are maintained, even as more of the day begins to revolve around alcohol.
Anyone concerned about their drinking can begin by speaking with a GP or Hertfordshire’s local community drug and alcohol service.
Opiate and Crack Cocaine Use in Hertfordshire
The county strategy estimates that 5,712 people in Hertfordshire use opiates, crack cocaine or both.
The estimated unmet treatment need for this group is 60.6%. This does not mean that every person outside treatment is unwilling to seek help. Access can be affected by unstable housing, poor physical health, mental health difficulties, previous experiences of services, fear of withdrawal or uncertainty about where to begin.
Drug problems in Hertfordshire are not limited to opiates and crack cocaine. Local treatment services also support people affected by cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, prescription medication and the use of several substances together.
The county strategy notes a recent increase in people presenting with ketamine use and identifies the need to understand more about the prevalence and impact of synthetic opioids.
Drug-Related Deaths in Hertfordshire
In 2023, 71 deaths related to drug overdose or poisoning were registered in Hertfordshire.
The number of heroin-related deaths increased from 10 in 2022 to 19 in 2023. The figures do not explain every circumstance surrounding those deaths, but they show the risk associated with dependence, uncertain drug supply, mixing substances and returning to use after a period of reduced tolerance.
Behind each recorded death is a person, a family and a wider group of people affected by what happened.
The county has introduced real-time surveillance of drug and alcohol deaths and expanded access to naloxone, an emergency medicine that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Young People and Substance Use
The number of children and young people entering structured substance-use treatment in Hertfordshire has continued to increase.
In the latest year covered by the county strategy, 149 young people engaged with services for alcohol or drug use. Cannabis remained the most commonly recorded substance of concern.
For people under 18, treatment and safeguarding needs differ from adult services. Support may need to involve family, education, social care, mental health services and specialist young-person provision.
Abbington House provides adult residential treatment and is not a children’s treatment service. Families seeking support for someone under 18 should contact their GP, Hertfordshire County Council or the county’s young-person substance-use service.
Addiction and Mental Health in Hertfordshire
Substance use and mental health difficulties frequently occur together, although the relationship is different for each person.
Alcohol or drugs may initially be used to manage anxiety, low mood, trauma, grief, sleep problems, chronic pain or the strain of living with undiagnosed neurodivergence. Over time, substance use can also worsen mood, sleep, paranoia, emotional regulation and physical health.
Hertfordshire’s strategy reports that:
- 81% of people receiving treatment for non-opiate drug use had a co-occurring mental health need.
- 78% of people receiving alcohol treatment had a co-occurring mental health need.
These figures refer to people who were already accessing treatment. They should not be used to assume that everyone who drinks or uses drugs has a mental health condition.
The Wider Social and Economic Impact
The effects of addiction extend beyond the person drinking or using drugs. Families may experience financial pressure, uncertainty, broken trust, conflict and repeated crises.
Employers, health services, social care, police and the criminal justice system also carry part of the wider impact.
The Institute of Alcohol Studies estimates that alcohol harm costs Hertfordshire approximately £524.8 million each year, equivalent to around £437 for every person living in the county.
- £95.7 million in NHS and healthcare costs
- £241.9 million associated with crime and disorder
- £136.7 million in costs to the wider economy
- £50.5 million connected to social services
The Hertfordshire strategy also reported that, as of July 2024, 679 people on the county’s probation caseload had identified mental health, drug and alcohol needs.
Figures like these show that alcohol and drug harm is not confined to one type of person, household or community.
What These Statistics Can and Cannot Tell Us
Population-level statistics are useful because they show the scale of harm and where treatment gaps may exist.
They cannot tell us:
- whether a particular person has developed an addiction
- whether they need detox
- whether community or residential treatment is more appropriate
- what has been driving the alcohol or drug use
- what level of medical or mental health support may be required
Those questions require an individual assessment.
Someone also does not need to match the most severe statistics before asking for help. Treatment can be relevant before employment, relationships, finances or physical health have completely broken down.
Worried about Addiction?
Statistics describe what is happening across Hertfordshire, but they cannot establish what type of support is appropriate for an individual person.
A number of support options are available within the County, to find help, visit our dedicated Hertfordshire support page.
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