Scots suspected drug deaths surge by 8% in first quarter of 2024

SNP ministers have been called on to take immediate action after shock figures found suspected drug deaths in Scotland have risen by eight per cent in the last three months.

Official data - drawn from reports by police officers attending the scenes of death - estimated there were 320 suspected fatalities involving drugs in the first three months of 2024.

That represented a rise of 23 compared to October to December last year. A total of 1,219 deaths were believed to be drug-related between March 2023 and the same month this year.

Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour health spokeswoman, said: "These statistics tell a heart-breaking story of lives lost, bereaved families and devastated communities. Since Nicola Sturgeon declared drug deaths a public health emergency in September 2019, thousands of lives have been lost.

"Despite years of promises, the SNP has utterly failed to get to grips with this crisis – shockingly, the data shows that the number of people losing their lives to drugs is rising.

"Warm words and sympathy from this SNP Government will not cut it – they must act now.

“The SNP Government must stop the cuts to lifesaving drug and alcohol services, urgently address its complete failure to provide enough residential rehab beds, and deliver drug checking facilities and the pilot safer drug consumption room in Glasgow without any further delay."

The Record has led the way in campaigning for drug addiction to be treated as a health issue rather than a criminal matter.

The number of Scots who have lost their lives to drugs has rocketed over the last two decades while the number of residential treatment spaces has fallen.

The latest data showed 61 per cent of the suspected drug deaths were people between the ages of 35 and 54, while there were 13 estimated deaths in the under-25 group – 19 per cent fewer than the same period of 2023.

Greater Glasgow was the police division with the greatest suspected drug deaths with 71, followed by 32 in Edinburgh City, 30 in the North East and Renfrewshire and Inverclyde divisions respectively.

Drugs and alcohol policy minister Christina McKelvie said: “My sincere and heartfelt condolences go to all those who have lost a loved one through addiction. This is a serious issue and the Scottish Government is taking a wide range of measures to tackle drugs-related deaths with our £250 million national mission on drugs – we’ve also backed more than 300 grassroots projects.

“We are continuing to expand residential rehabilitation capacity and are committed to delivering a £2.3 million a year, safer drug consumption facility pilot, which Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership is working at pace to establish. Licence applications for drug-checking facilities in Aberdeen and Dundee have been submitted to the Home Office, with a further application for a service in Glasgow expected to be submitted soon.

“The City of Edinburgh Council has also expressed a desire to introduce similar facilities and discussions are ongoing between Scottish Government and council officials. In 2023-24, we made a record £112 million available to local alcohol and drug partnerships and funding for drug policy has increased by 67% since 2014 to help us tackle this serious issue.

“We’re working hard to respond to the growing threat from super-strong synthetic opioids like nitazenes in an increasingly toxic and unpredictable drug supply. Such synthetics, which increase the risk of overdose, hospitalisation and death, are being found in a range of substances. Because of their strength I would urge people to carry extra life-saving naloxone kits.”

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