You could save a life as drug deaths hit a record high

Charity sends out overdose kits

A drugs charity has urged more people in Renfrewshire to order lifesaving overdose reversal kits after just FOUR were issued in the region last year.

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD) gave out 348 naloxone kits across the country in its first year of running its online ‘click and deliver’ service.

But, despite record drug death rates in Renfrewshire, a tiny number of people from the area placed an order.

The latest figures available show there were 45 drugs deaths across Renfrewshire in 2019, and 50 the year before.

Campaigners have called for a drastic overhaul of the country’s drug strategy after the National Records of Scotland’s annual report showed 1,264 people died in 2019 – a six per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

The number of deaths are the highest since records began in 1996 and three and half times higher than the rest of the UK.

Naxolone kits can reverse the effects of opioid drugs like heroin, methadone, opium, codeine, morphine, and buprenorphine.

They are seen by many as a key life-saving tool.

SFAD said the pandemic restricted drug treatment services’ ability to supply naloxone to atrisk individuals.

Scottish Drugs Forum approached the charity and asked if it was interested in running a new ‘take home’ naloxone service.

Data shows the 348 kits issued to date have gone to 129 families and friends of drug users, 48 to people who use drugs and 158 to professionals, including a security guard, taxi driver, food bank volunteers, covid community responders, homeless workers or street team volunteers, faith leaders, refuse collectors, and mental health peer volunteers.

One individual who requested a kit had provided CPR to a person who overdosed in the street the previous week. They did not know about naloxone until the ambulance arrived.

Suzie Gallagher, SFAD helpline development officer, said: “It’s been a tough year for everybody.

“When looking at our statistics and the impact our naloxone supply has had, we are proud of our one- of- a- kind service for Scotland.

“Our service has been provided by one staff member on top of their busy day-to-day job managing our national helpline.

“We are asked how we set up such an accessible service.

“The simple answer is we worked in partnership with Scottish Drugs Forum, which provided guidance and sourced

When looking at our statistics and the impact our naloxone supply has had, we

are proud of our one-of-a-kind service Suzie Gallagher

naloxone kits for us.

“With the addition of our online form and commitment from the team member managing the service, it was seamless.

“It really is that simple.

“The more complicated you make it, the more barriers you are putting in place for people to access a life-saving intervention.”

The click and deliver service is available at www. sfad. org. uk/ supportservices/take-homenaloxone