BRIGHTON has one of the highest drug misuse rates in the UK, a new study has revealed

New data gathered by private rehab clinic Delamere found the city was among the worst affected areas by the increased use of illegal drugs in the country.

Brighton had the highest rate of use for Cocaine, Ketamine and MDMA.

One in five Brighton residents reported having used cocaine, while one in ten reported using MDMA.

Ketamine, an anaesthetic used in hospitals to induce a loss of consciousness and relieve pain, is commonly abused for its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects.

The survey found that one in fourteen Brighton residents reported using the drug.

The other areas alongside Brighton with some of the highest rates of drug misuse are Sheffield, Liverpool, Cardiff and Belfast.

A Delamere spokesman said: "Brighton was the drug use hotspot in the south, with the highest rate of use for Cocaine, Ketamine and MDMA.

"The use of painkillers such as codeine and tramadol outside of a prescription was more prevalent in Belfast and Cardiff had the biggest rate of people taking these drugs outside of a prescription.

"After alcohol, Cannabis had the highest rate of use during the pandemic from our respondents.

"One in ten people aged 25-34 had smoked the drug in the last twelve months, this rises to 16 per cent in the 18-24 age category."

The addiction experts surveyed 2,000 adults living in the UK on their alcohol and drug consumption over the last 12 months to determine the impact of the pandemic on usage.

Despite pubs, bars being closed for around 31 weeks in 2020, the pandemic brought an increase to the nation’s drinking habits. The survey found that one in four of adults had increased their alcohol consumption in the last year.

Despite the nation living under lockdown restrictions, the findings uncovered that 49 per cent of UK residents had consumed alcohol in the last twelve months alone and 36 per cent had taken drugs.

It comes amid a record number of drug-related deaths in England and Wales during the pandemic in 2020, with a total number of 4,561 deaths related to drug poisoning registered.