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North east drug deaths highest outside Glasgow last quarter


By Lewis McBlane

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SUSPECTED north east drug deaths nearly tripled last quarter, new figures show.

The north east had the second highest number of drug deaths last quarter.
The north east had the second highest number of drug deaths last quarter.

The north east had the second-largest number of suspected drug deaths in Scotland during the tail-end of 2022.

Newly-released Police Scotland data shows the region had 31 suspected drug deaths between October and December 2022.

That figure is second only to Glasgow, which had 66 in the same period.

Released today (March 14) by the Scottish Government, the data is contained in a report featuring details of likely drug deaths.

According to the report, the end of last year was the north east's worst period for drug deaths since January to March 2021.

Last quarter's apparent drug deaths were nearly triple those in the previous quarter, a 181.8 per cent rise from 11 in July-September 2022.

However, throughout the whole year, suspected drug deaths fell by 18 per cent in the region.

This was a larger drop than the national fall of 16 per cent.

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “Drugs, and those involved in supplying them, blight our communities and Police Scotland is committed to disrupting this organised activity right across the country.

"We are committed to working in partnership with others, to prevent and reduce substance harm, as well as exploring solutions to help address the number of drug deaths in Scotland.

“Our use of Naloxone also highlights the important contribution Police Scotland makes to helping to prevent the harm caused by drugs.

"This life-saving nasal spray has now been administered more than 140 times by officers. Our national roll-out programme is almost complete and will soon see 12,500 officers equipped with this treatment."

In 2022 there were 1092 suspected drug deaths in Scotland and 66 per cent, happened to people aged between 35 and 54.

There were 55 suspected drug deaths in the under 25 age group, 19 per cent fewer than 2021's figure.

Throughout the entire year, the Police Divisions with the greatest number of suspected drug deaths were Greater Glasgow with 214, Lanarkshire with 118 and Edinburgh City with 113.

The north east had 87.




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