SNP under fire amid new surge in suspected drug deaths in Scotland

A surge in suspected drug deaths has cast doubts on the Scottish Government’s efforts to tackle drug deaths.

Scotland still has the worst drugs death record in the UK and Europe.

The Scottish Government has come under renewed fire after it emerged Police Scotland recorded a surge in the number of suspected drug deaths.

The latest figures from Police Scotland show there were 900 suspected drug deaths during the first nine months of 2023, 13 per cent (103) more than during the same period of 2022.

The greatest number of suspected drug deaths occurred in Greater Glasgow (231), Lanarkshire (108) and Edinburgh (99) over this period.

A stock photo of a safer drug consumption room at the Scottish Drug Death Crisis Conference in 2020. Photo by John Devlin.

It comes after figures released in August by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) showed that 1,051 people died due to drug misuse in 2022, a decrease of 279 deaths (21 per cent) compared with 2021 and the lowest annual total since 2017.

The Scottish Government’s drug and alcohol policy minister, Elena Whitham, said drug deaths in Scotland “were still too high” and “every life lost is a tragedy.”

“I’m focused on supporting those affected by problem substance use, delivering real change on the ground and implementing evidence-based approaches to improve and save lives.

“As well as moves towards establishing a Safe Drug Consumption Facility pilot in Glasgow, we’re taking a wide range of measures and National Mission funds have now backed more than 300 grassroots projects.

"As the threat grows from the unexpected presence in the drug supply from highly potent synthetic opioids such as nitazenes which bring increased risks of overdose and death, we have also developed our surveillance abilities. Our Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response reports and other measures play a vital part in providing an early warning of emerging drug trends.

"We're also committed to delivering drug-checking facilities which would also enable us to respond faster to these trends.”

The Scottish Conservative deputy health spokesperson, Tess White, said the figures were “catastrophic and heart-breaking”, and “indicate that the SNP are no closer to solving the drugs death epidemic that has spiralled on their watch”.

“SNP ministers – having shamefully taken their eye off the ball – remain unable to get a grip on this national emergency and seem to be pinning all their hopes on consumption rooms as the solution.

“Instead, they should be focused on improving access to treatment and rehab programmes for those with addiction problems.”

Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson, Jackie Baillie, said the latest Police Scotland figures “reveal the human cost of over a decade of government failure to tackle Scotland’s drugs crisis”.

“While progress on the safe consumption room pilot in Glasgow is welcome, it is clear that much more needs to be done to keep people safe,” said Dame Baillie.

“The fact is that there is no silver bullet to bring down drug deaths – what we need is a joined up approach that includes properly supported rehabilitation and treatment services.

“Delaying action to tackle drug deaths has fatal consequences – it is time for the government to wake up to the tragedy continuing to unfold on its watch and act to save lives.”

Meanwhile, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said: “We can prevent more families being devastated like this, but today’s figures do not give me much hope that the Scottish Government has a plan of action for doing that.

“SNP cuts to drug and alcohol services' budgets have reverberated down the years. Humza Yousaf and the government he leads must make sure they never take their eye off the ball again”.