Drug deaths – Treatment figures show Scotland still has much to do in war against drugs

A report today has stated that 172 of the 432 people who died from drug overdoses in 2009 (or 40%) had no contact with treatment services during their lives.

Annabel Goldie MSP, Scottish Conservative Leader, said:

"In 1996, there were 244 drug related deaths. This has soared to 432 in less than a decade and half. Yet again we see the tragic consequences of the drugs epidemic in Scotland. Each death represents not just a life needlessly lost, but a family devastated and a community scarred.

"It is concerning that one third of people who died from drugs in 2009 were not receiving treatment for their addiction. We can see how far we have to go.

"Scottish Conservatives have worked relentlessly to create a new national drugs strategy based on recovery leading to abstinence. The attempts of the last decade to merely manage the problem, based on harm reduction and an over reliance on methadone have quite simply not worked.

"As Home Office figures have shown, every £1 spent on treating addicts saves nearly £10 in other budgets.

"The challenge now is to expand the range of rehabilitation services on offer and move to abstinence and recovery. Scotland has suffered for far too long from the effects of drugs abuse. It ruins lives, destroys families and scars communities.

"The SNP has had a lengthy period of grace on this issue but as we approach the end of the parliamentary term we are entitled to challenge them on what progress they have really made."

Back to all posts