UK Cities Where Residents Seek Help to Quit Drugs Most

• Newcastle upon Tyne is the UK city where residents are seeking help to quit drugs the most, with the highest number of searches per drug user across the UK.

• Mansfield shows one of the highest estimated drug use rates at 32%.

• Smaller cities like Oxford show stronger per-capita quitting interest than many larger urban centres.

The UK government has allocated £421 million to support drug and alcohol recovery services across England, representing an increase of almost 40% in total treatment funding. A recent study by Drug Testing Kits UK identifies and ranks UK cities based on their intent to quit drug use. Rankings were based on the number of monthly Google searches for five quitting-related keywords, relative to the estimated number of drug users per city. The “Searches Per Drug User” metric, normalized across cities, was used to determine final rankings using Min-Max Scaling for comparability.

*You can find the full study here.

Newcastle upon Tyne stands at the top with 21.08 searches per drug user, mostly around quitting drugs and finding rehab support, a figure far higher than any other city. About 47% of Newcastle's total population is estimated to be drug users, suggesting that nearly half the city faces substance challenges. 

Oxford takes the second spot, recording 8.23 inquiries across phrases like "get off drugs" and "drug detox." The city’s smaller population of 160K people has a 28% estimated drug use rate, indicating significant engagement relative to its size.

Mansfield ranks third, reaching 7.77 searches per drug user. An estimated 32% of Mansfield’s residents are affected by drug use, and the high number of searches points toward a strong interest in quitting or finding treatment options.

Fourth place goes to Aberdeen, with 5.60 online searches per drug user for help-related terms. With only 13% of its 227,750 residents estimated as drug users—the lowest share among the top ten—the search activity still suggests a city where users are working to change their habits.

Edinburgh takes the fifth position, posting 5.32 queries per drug user. Among a larger base of 563,534 residents, around 14% are estimated to be drug users. Despite its size, the city’s quitting search activity stays on pace with much smaller urban centers.

In sixth place, Walsall records 5.25 quitting-related searches. Only 10% of its residents are estimated to be drug users—the lowest share among the ranked cities. Even with a lower prevalence, there’s steady search behavior around quitting support.

Norwich comes in seventh, registering 5.15 lookups per drug user. An estimated 22% of the city’s residents are drug users, suggesting that nearly a quarter of the local population faces substance challenges, contributing to ongoing search activity for quitting help.

Eighth place is taken by Wolverhampton, with 5.08 searches per drug user. The city’s estimated drug user percentage is 14% of its population. While not the highest proportion, the persistent search activity shows that a significant number are seeking information about rehabilitation or support.

Ninth position goes to Wigan with 4.96 searches, centered around phrases like "drug help" and "drug detox." An estimated 14% of the 329,800 population deals with drug use, contributing to a noticeable search volume for quitting assistance.

Northampton rounds out the top ten, recording 4.61 lookups for quitting drugs. With 18% of its residents facing drug use issues, search trends show that many are actively seeking help to get off drugs and access rehab services.

James Gunter - Sales Director at Drug Testing Kits UK, commented on the study: "Behind these statistics are real people struggling with addiction and actively looking for ways to change their lives. What matters most is ensuring that when someone decides to seek help, effective support services are readily available to them. The regional differences we've uncovered can help target resources where they're most needed and potentially save lives.”