nhsaaa.net\/services\/services-a-z\/alcohol-and-drug-services\/<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n For people with drug dependency or addiction issues, access to treatment, support and care can make a significant difference to reducing the risk of a drug death and support recovery journeys.\n<\/p>\n
\n Communities are also impacted by harm associated with the selling of drugs. Members of the public can help with providing information to\u00a0police and be assured of complete confidentiality.\n<\/p>\n
\n Anyone with information or concerns about drug-related activity in their area can contact Police Scotland on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.\n<\/p>\n
\n The latest Scottish Government report showed suspected drug deaths in Scotland had risen by a third in the first quarter\u00a0of this year.\n<\/p>\n
\n There were 308 such deaths over the period January to March, with the\u00a0total up by 33 per cent on the last three months of 2024.\n<\/p>\n
\n The report said that \u201csuspected drug deaths in Scotland remain at a high level\u201d \u2013 with such cases up by 76 when compared to the final quarter of 2024.\n<\/p>\n
\n However, the government report stressed that the data also showed a decrease in the number of suspected drug\u00a0deaths over the course of the year.\n<\/p>\n
\n With Scotland having had the highest rate of drug-related deaths in Europe, the government has a \u201cnational mission\u201d to reduce the numbers losing their lives to drugs.\n<\/p>\n
\n ![]()
(Image: Newsquest) Speaking as Tuesday\u2019s figures were published, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: \u201cEvery death is a tragedy and through our \u00a3250 million national mission, we are determined to continue our efforts to reduce harm and deaths. My condolences go to anyone who has lost a loved one.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWhile these figures show a quarter-on-quarter rise in suspected drug deaths, they also note a year-on-year fall.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWe want every person experiencing harm to be able to access the support they need.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWe are taking a wide range of evidence-based measures, including opening the UK\u2019s first safer drug consumption facility pilot, working towards drug-checking facilities and widening access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and life-saving naloxone.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n However, Scottish Conservative spokesperson for drugs, Annie Wells, said: \u201cThese devastating figures should be a source of shame for deluded SNP ministers, whose strategy to tackle drug deaths is clearly failing.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Speaking of the recently launched Glasgow drug consumption room, she said: \u201cIt is clear that the facility is feeding addiction, rather than helping to treat addiction.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: \u201cThis shocking rise in drug deaths shows just how badly the SNP is failing the country\u2019s most desperate and vulnerable people.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cEach of these deaths is a tragedy \u2013 the SNP must act urgently to prevent the crisis spiralling further out of control.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Scottish Government\u00a0figures released today show Ayrshire recorded 36 suspected drug deaths in the first three months of 2025.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":177646,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4316],"tags":[105,4348,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-177645","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-healthcare","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114668887719275942","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/177646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=177645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=177645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}