UK, Scotland: The number of drug misuse deaths in Scotland has increased, according to data from the National Records of Scotland for 2023. The report shows that 1,172 people died from drug misuse, up by 121 from the previous year. Despite this rise, the figure represents the second-lowest number of drug-related deaths since 2017. In 2022, there were 1,051 deaths, marking the first significant decline in several years.

Scotland's drug misuse death rate remains significantly higher than that of other European countries, including England and Wales. The peak was 1,339 deaths in 2020.

August 20, 2024

The data indicates that individuals in Scotland's most deprived areas are more than 15 times as likely to die from drug misuse compared to those in the least deprived areas. Over the past two decades, the age of those dying from drug misuse has increased, with people aged 35-54 being the most affected in 2023. Men are twice as likely to die from drug misuse as women.

Opiates and opioids were involved in 80% of drug misuse deaths. When adjusted for age, Glasgow City and Dundee City had the highest rates of drug misuse deaths, while East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire had the lowest. Of the recorded deaths, 88% were classified as accidental poisonings, and 7% were considered intentional self-poisonings.