Younger drug users moving away from injecting heroin

Younger drug users are moving away from injecting heroin, new figures have revealed.

Data from those seeking help with drug misuse show nearly one in five of those under the age of 25 had used heroin in the past month.

This is down from 58% of young people assessed for drug treatment in 2006/07.

Over the same period there has been a near four-fold increase in cocaine use, according to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database.

Scotland has the highest drug death rate in EU and both the UK and Scottish governments have committed to tackling the issue.

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David Liddell, chief executive of the Scottish Drugs Forum, said: "Most people using drugs use more than one drug.

"Stimulant use among people who otherwise use heroin is more common and these figures seem to confirm a rise in stimulant use in younger people.

"Services will have to develop and adapt to this new pattern of substance use."

Surge in cocaine use

More than half (58%) of those under the age of 25 seeking drug treatment 12 years ago reported using heroin.

In 2018/19, the percentage had fallen to 19%.

Over the same period, cocaine use for all age groups has increased rapidly and it is now the second most commonly reported drug used.

Only between 5% and 8% of drug users seeking treatment reported having cocaine as their "main drug" until 2015/16.

By 2018/19, this had increased to 19%.