Surge in cocaine use over last five years

Cocaine use in Scotland has soared in the past five years, new figures show, while heroin has seen a sustained fall.

The Scottish drugs misuse database has shown a 14% increase between 2015-16 and 2019-20 in cocaine and crack cocaine among users who reported taking drugs in the past month, making it the second most popular main drug in Scotland, behind heroin.

Between 2006-07 and 2015-16, cocaine was the main drug of between 5% and 8% of users, but that figure rose to 21% in the most recent year.

Reported use of heroin as a main drug among those under the age of 25 has also dropped significantly, from 58% in 2006-07 to just 18% in 2019-20, according to the figures.

The database also found the age of users coming forward for specialist treatment was growing, with 29% over the age of 35 in 2006-07, compared to 54% in 2019-20.

The figures come as doctors in Scotland have called for serious consideration to be given to decriminalising drugs to address Scotland’s growing problem with drug deaths.

A report published by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh also pushed for work to be done by the Scottish and UK Governments to counter the socio-economic issues related to problem drug use.

Professor Angela Thomas, the acting president of the college, said: “Our report proposes some key interventions which can be taken now including the introduction of a drugs consumption room, and a heroin-assisted treatment programme in all major centres in Scotland as we see already at the Glasgow pilot scheme.”