Suspected drug deaths in Scotland fell by 8% in 2021
- Published
Scotland's drug deaths figures have been declared a national emergency by Holyrood
Suspected drug deaths in Scotland fell by 8% last year, according to Police Scotland figures.
A total of 1,295 deaths were linked to illicit drugs, down from 1,411 in 2020.
Nearly three quarters of the cases (73%) involved men while more than two thirds (67%) were people aged between 35 and 54.
Scotland has the highest drug death rate in Europe, and deaths reached a record high in 2020.
The Police Scotland figures rely on reports from officers attending the scene, and are different from National Records of Scotland (NRS) figures which factor in information from prosecutors and pathologists, but the figures are usually closely correlated.
If confirmed by NRS statistics, due out in the summer, it would be the first fall in Scotland's drug deaths in eight years.
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance extended her sympathy to those who had lost a loved one and said there was no room for complacency.
"I know that despite this decline in the number of suspected drug deaths, the figure is still far too high and, as I have said before there is much hard work to be done to turn this public health emergency around," she said.
The NRS figures for 2020 were described by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as "unacceptable" and "shameful" and Holyrood later agreed a motion declaring Scotland's drug deaths a public health emergency.
The government has pledged to spend an extra £250m tackling the problem over the lifetime of the parliament.
Initiatives have included extra investment in medication-assisted treatment - replacement substances such as methadone coupled with counselling.
Naloxone sprays for treating drug overdoses are being issued to police officers
All police officers are also being issued with Naloxone emergency treatment sprays for drug overdose, but proposals to set up safe consumption rooms have met with opposition from the Home Office.
Earlier this year the head of the country's drugs taskforce resigned because she was not prepared to do what she described as a "rushed job".
The Scottish Conservatives have been pressing the government to bring forward a "right to recovery" bill that would giver drug users a legal entitlement to receive addiction treatment. Nicola Sturgeon has said she has an "open mind" on the idea.
The latest Police Scotland figures reveal a 3% increase in suspected drug deaths involving females.
Ms Constance commented: "We are committed to tackling the barriers which prevent women from accessing treatment, support and recovery.
"One of our priorities is to develop and increase women-specific services, and services to keep children and families together."