Drug hospitalisations down

THE number of people in the Lothians admitted to hospital because of drug abuse has reached its lowest in five years.

Figures have shown that in 2010, 828 people were rushed to hospital after suffering either short-term or long-term effects of substances.

That is significantly lower than the year before, and the lowest since 2005.

The statistics released by ISD Scotland - the country's official gatherer of health data - will give cheer to public health chiefs who have worked hard to reduce the number of people abusing drugs.

Last year 933 patients - nearly three a day - were in hospital because of substance abuse, sparking fears that the problem in Edinburgh was spiralling out of control.

All four local authority areas experienced a drop, although Edinburgh's was the greatest.