Search for solutions as fatalities double
Toll in South Lanarkshire reaches 64
Drug-related deaths across South Lanarkshire more than doubled over the course of just 12 months.
The latest figures reveal there were 64 deaths in 2016, compared to 31 in 2015.
Last year’s figure is almost three times the number who died a decade ago, as 22 drug-related deaths occurred in South Lanarkshire in 2006.
There was a slight annual increase in North Lanarkshire, with 49 deaths bringing the total for the NHS Lanarkshire area to 113.
Heroin and/or morphine was implicated in more than half of the total deaths in Lanarkshire in 2016 – 69 out of 113 – while methadone was named as a factor in 42 deaths.
Cocaine was implicated in 25 deaths, amphetamines in three deaths, while ecstasy-type drugs were a factor in three deaths and alcohol was named as a factor in 41 deaths.
And 101 of the drug-related deaths in the region involved one or more opiate drugs, which include heroin, morphine and methadone.
The National Records of Scotland publication, released this week, shows the number of drug deaths in Scotland has risen by 23 per cent between 2015 and 2016 – from 707 to 867.
The over-35 age group accounted for 72 per cent (626) of the total number of drug deaths in 2016. The average age at the time of death is 41.
Only Glasgow and Edinburgh had more reported deaths than South Lanarkshire, with 170 and 90, respectively.
Commenting on the findings, Aileen Campbell, minister for public health and Clydesdale MSP, said: “We are dealing with a very complex problem in Scotland – a legacy of drugs misuse stretching back decades. What we are seeing is an ageing group of people who are long-term drug users. They have a pattern of addiction which is very difficult to break, and they have developed other chronic medical conditions as a result of this prolonged drugs use.
“There are no easy solutions, but we recognise that more needs to be done. This is why I recently announced a refresh of our drugs strategy in response to the changing landscape we are seeing.
“This will provide an opportunity to reinvigorate our approach, to respond to the new challenges emerging and to be more innovative in our response to the problems.”
She added: “Drug taking in the general adult population is falling, drug taking levels among young people remain low, and we’ve achieved significant reductions in treatment times for those needing help with drug problems.”
Monica Lennon MSP, Scottish Labour’s spokeswomen for inequalities, hit out at the alarming South Lanarkshire increase. She said: “Scotland now has the highest number of drug-related deaths on record, a figure that has doubled since 2006. “It’s shocking that the number of drug-related deaths in South Lanarkshire has doubled since just last year. “Lives have been ruined and families left to cope with grief and trauma for years to come. “A year ago I criticised the Scottish Government for slashing alcohol and drug partnership funding at a time when drug deaths were hitting record levels. “SNP ministers need to give themselves a shake and take responsibility for their actions. If you under-fund vital substance misuse services, people die. I urge other MSPs locally to join me in asking the SNP government to have the courage to take a different course.”