Drug Deaths In Scotland Soar Keeping Scotland As Worst in Europe

12th June 2025

The latest figures show that suspected drug deaths in Scotland have risen by 33% in the first three months of 2025, with 308 deaths recorded between January and March. This marks an increase of 76 deaths compared to the last quarter of 2024.

Some regions have been particularly affected:

Glasgow recorded the highest number of suspected drug deaths, with 61 cases.

Lanarkshire had the third highest, with 33 deaths, up from 25 in the previous quarter.

Dumfries and Galloway reported seven deaths, contributing to the overall rise.

The Scottish Government has been working on harm reduction strategies, including the UK's first safer drug consumption facility pilot in Glasgow. However, concerns remain about the effectiveness of these measures, as drug deaths continue to be a major public health crisis.

Scotland's drug-related death trends paint a complex and concerning picture:

Long-Term Increase Over the past two decades, Scotland has seen a substantial rise in drug-related deaths. The National Records of Scotland reported 1,172 drug misuse deaths in 2023—a 12% increase from 2022. When the numbers are adjusted for age, the rate of these deaths is now more than four times higher than it was in 2000 .

Short-Term Fluctuations Recent quarterly data (January-March 2025) indicated that suspected drug deaths spiked by roughly 33% compared to the previous quarter, with 308 such deaths recorded. Although quarter-on-quarter comparisons show marked increases, some year-on-year comparisons have revealed more nuanced trends, suggesting that while short-term peaks occur, the overall long-term trajectory remains upward 3.

Demographic and Regional Variations

Age and Gender: The average age of drug-related deaths has risen significantly, moving from around 32 in the early 2000s to nearly 45 in recent years. Males are disproportionately affected, with the majority of the increase in fatalities occurring among men.

Regional Differences: Urban areas, such as Glasgow, continue to report the highest numbers of drug-related deaths. At the same time, socioeconomically deprived areas bear a stark burden, as people in the most deprived regions are much more likely to succumb to these deaths compared to those in more affluent areas 1.

Underlying Factors The trends are linked to several intersecting issues:

Evolving Drug Supply: An unregulated, increasingly toxic drug market—with the emergence of potent synthetic opioids and other novel substances—has made fatalities more likely.

Social Determinants: Poverty, homelessness, and limited access to adequate healthcare and social support exacerbate the crisis.

Policy and Harm Reduction: While initiatives like safer consumption facilities and enhanced access to treatment (including naloxone distribution) have been introduced, their overall impact is still under scrutiny, and debates continue over how best to address the root causes of the crisis .

These trends underscore a multifaceted public health challenge that requires coordinated efforts addressing both immediate harm reduction and the underlying socioeconomic factors driving the continual rise in drug-related deaths.