SCOTLAND has an ageing population of drug users and the full effects of so-called legal highs have not yet been felt across the country.
Those are the main conclusions that can be drawn from figures published yesterday by the Scottish Government’s National Drug Related Deaths Database.
The statistics are not new but they do explore the drug-related deaths figures released last August in greater depth.
Some 448 of the 526 drug-related deaths in 2013 were analysed. The percentage of deaths among individuals aged 35 and over has increased from 50 per cent of drug-related deaths in 2009 to 66 per cent of deaths in 2013.
Legal highs may not yet be criminal, but they are lethal – between 2009 and 2013, there were 203 cases with a “new” or “novel” psychoactive substance (NPS) present in the body at time of death, with 108 of those deaths in 2013.
That figure is expected to rise significantly owing to the explosion in use of NPS over the past year.
The analysis showed that almost all those who died with NPS present in their bodies also had taken other drugs – typically there were combinations of NPS with alcohol, heroin and pills such as diazepam.
As in previous years, 76 per cent of those who died were male and 50 per cent lived in the most deprived areas of Scotland.
Over a third, some 36 per cent, of those who died, were a parent or parental figure, meaning that 273 children lost a carer through drug use in 2013.
Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Paul Wheelhouse said: “By providing further context around these deaths we can ensure more families can avoid the painful loss of a loved-one to drug use.
“Drug-taking amongst young people is at the lowest rate for over a decade and the level of drug use amongst the general adult population is decreasing. However, Scotland is dealing with an ageing cohort of drug users. We are continuing to work to investigate the health and social care needs of this vulnerable group.
“The report also provides information on New Psycho- active Substances, otherwise misleadingly known as ‘legal highs’. It has become increasingly clear over the past few years that the danger of NPS represents a significant challenge for our health, justice and third-sector organisations and in response to this growing concern the Scottish Government established an Expert Review Group to consider the powers available in Scotland to tackle the sale and supply of these substances.
“Although legislation on the restriction and classification of illicit drugs, in the form of the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971), is reserved to the UK Parliament, following the recommendations of the Expert Review Group, The Scottish Government are in early discussions with the Home Office on how we will work together to create new legislation to control the sale and supply of NPS.
Roy Robertson, Chair of the National Forum on Drug Related Deaths, commented: “This data-base is intended, and is likely, to lead to a more intelligent approach to prevention.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here