Scotland drug deaths rise, among worst in Europe
The Peninsula
London: Scotland recorded an increase in drug deaths last year, official figures showed Tuesday, as the country continues to have one of the highest r...
London: Scotland recorded an increase in drug deaths last year, official figures showed Tuesday, as the country continues to have one of the highest rates of such deaths in Europe.
Deaths by drug misuse have blighted some of Scotland's poorest communities for decades and are often branded its "national shame".
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) said drugs claimed the lives of 1,172 Scots in 2023 -- up 121, or 12 percent, from 2022.
Scotland had recorded its lowest drug death figures in five years in 2022, sparking hopes that the country had turned a corner in its fight against drug misuse.
Some 279 fewer people died from drug misuse that year compared to 2021.
