Glasgow has recorded the highest rate of drug deaths in Scotland despite a drop in the total number.

The latest figures show almost four deaths a week take place in the city.

The official figures show a reduction across Scotland of 279, down to 1051 deaths from 1330 the year before.

In Glasgow, the latest total was 196 deaths in 2022 down from 2021 when Glasgow saw 311 deaths, the highest total ever recorded by the city. It was an increase of 20 from the year before.

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Across Scotland, the record was in 2020 when 1339 people died.

Putting the reduction into historical context the statisticians highlighted drug deaths are still more common than 20 years ago and deprived areas are more affected.

National Records of Scotland, which complies the figures said: “Despite this fall, drug misuse deaths are still more common than they were two decades ago.

“After adjusting for age, there were 3.7 times as many drug misuse deaths in 2022 compared with 2000.

“Glasgow City and Dundee City had the highest rates of drug misuse deaths over the last 5 years while East Renfrewshire and Aberdeenshire had the lowest rates.”

Opiates and opioids, including heroin, morphine and methadone, were implicated in more than 8 out of 10 drug related deaths in 2022.

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The majority of drug misuse deaths were classified as accidental poisonings, with 7% classed as intentional self-poisonings.

 

The rate of drug poisoning deaths in Scotland was 2.7 times as high as the UK average in 2021, the most recent year that data is available for the UK as a whole.

Julie Ramsay, Head of Demographic Statistics at National Records of Scotland, said:

“While drug misuse deaths have been rising over the last two decades, with a particularly sharp increase after 2013, today’s statistics show the biggest year on year decrease since the series began.

“The statistics provide some insight into the people who are most likely to die from drug misuse.

“Those living in the most deprived areas of Scotland are almost 16 times as likely to die from drug misuse compared to people living in the least deprived areas.

“Males are twice as likely to die from drug misuse than females, however the fall in deaths in 2022 was much larger for males than for females.

“The age profile of drug misuse deaths has become older over time, the average age of people who died from drug misuse deaths has increased from 32 in 2000 to 45 in 2022.”

Elena Whitham, Scottish Government drugs policy minister, said: “My sympathy goes out to all those affected by the loss of a loved one through drugs.

“While I am pleased to see that hundreds of families have been spared this agony and lives have been saved, every life lost is a tragedy and the number of deaths is still too high.

“I will never underestimate the scale of the challenge we continue to face, including responding to new threats such as synthetic opioids and stimulant use.

“I can see that our work across Scotland, where we have already supported 300 grass-roots projects, including ‘Back on the Road’, is gathering pace, and I’m grateful to all those delivering vital services.”