Drug deaths fall in Scotland but major problems persist

The number of people dying from drug misuse in Scotland has fallen for the first time in five years but remains well above every other country in Europe.Figures released by National Records of Scotland (NRS) show that in 2022,1 even with the decrease, Scotland’s drug deaths were still 3.7 times higher than in 2000.Most of the 1051 deaths recorded last year were due to accidental drug overdoses, leading to a warning from the Scottish Drugs Forum that the situation could get even worse because of the emerging threat of the country becoming flooded with illegal synthetic opioids.“We are now well beyond the need for urgent action,” said the forum’s chief officer, Kirsten Horsburgh. “Alarm bells should be ringing all over government and all through the treatment and support services because we are not prepared.”Scotland has committed to increasing spending on drug support services by £250m over the five years of…
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