Dundee drugs crisis deepens: Report reveals deaths at highest-ever level

DUNDEE is the European drugs death capital once again - with so-called ‘street valium’ accounting for more than a third of fatalities in the city.

A damning report by National Records Scotland (NRS) revealed 118 drugs deaths occurred across Tayside in 2019, in increase of nine from the previous year.

Of that figure, 72 deaths occurred in Dundee City, up six from 2018. The majority of deaths across Tayside, 105, were the result of accidental poisoning, and 99 involved the consumption of two opioids, 91 of them including “street benzos” – black market versions of prescription drugs like diazepam.

The largest increase in deaths occurred in the 35-44 and the 45-54 age groups.

In total there were 1,264 drugrelated deaths registered in Scotland in 2019, 6% more than in 2018 and more than any other EU country.

This was the largest number ever recorded, more than double that of 10 years earlier and approximately 3½ times that of the UK as a whole.

Dave Barrie, of support agency We Are With You Dundee, said: “It’s a sad day. Behind every number is a human being, a member of a family – and many of those families will never get over the loss.

“This report makes really difficult, hard reading for all the services and agencies tackling this issue across Dundee.

“Some of the people in these figures were people we got to know and got to build relationships with. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.”

Dundee established a Drugs Commission in reaction to previous NRS reports and agency support is available both online and face-toface across the region.

“There’s been a massive amount of effort, there’s been progress made,” Mr Barrie said.

“We are giving out more Naloxone, to use in the event of an overdose emergency, than ever before.

“Access to treatment is quicker than ever and we are trying our best to make the changes that will hopefully turn this trend downwards.”

Meanwhile the reality was that many drug users in the 35-55 year age group were at high risk of accidental overdose due to a number of factors.

“Respiratory issues are one,” Dave explained.

“A lot of them will be chronic smokers, they may have underlying health conditions and may not be physically fit.”