Drug deaths in Highlands fell in 2023, according to new figures from National Records of Scotland
The number of people in the Highlands who died due to drug misuse last year has shown a marked decrease.
The latest figures reveal a total of 26 people died - a decrease from 42 in 2022.
The figures, released by the National Records of Scotland, appear to buck the national trend which revealed the overall number of deaths from drug misuse in 2023 was 1172 - an increase of 121 on the previous 12 months although the figures represent the second lowest number of drug misuse deaths since 2017.
The 2023 figures for the Highlands reveal 21 drugs-related deaths were men and five were women.
The previous year, 25 men and 17 women in the region died from drug misuse while in 2021 the figure was 26 men and nine women.
Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (HADP) said it was deeply saddened by the number of people who have died.
Although it has introduced a range of initiatives to tackle the issues - from an app providing information on overdose situations to diverting vulnerable people from the criminal justice system into treatment - it acknowledged more needed to be done.
The partnership’s members are Highland Council, NHS Highland, Police Scotland, Third Sector, Crown Office, Scottish Prison Service and the Fire and Rescue Service.
“Our thoughts are with all families and friends affected by drug-related deaths,” HADP said in a statement.
“It is tragic that the lives of people across Scotland and in Highland have ended prematurely. We acknowledge that more needs to be done to reduce the number of deaths and support people to recover.
“In Highland, we review each death in order to learn lessons and improve practice.”
Initiatives introduced by HADP in a bid to improve service provision include:
* Establishing a multi-agency group to mitigate risks of drug-related harm, including the risk synthetic drugs pose.
* Strengthening the overdose alert system with partners to respond and follow up people who have overdosed.
* The Highland Overdose Prevention and Engagement (HOPE) App to provide workers and the public with easy access to information on overdose situations, harm reduction, responding to emergency situations and accessing support. The App was developed with input from people with lived experience of drug problems.
* A range of overdose awareness training has been developed by partners on stimulant overdose awareness, novel psychoactive substances and overdose prevention and naloxone.
* Working in partnership to extend distribution of naloxone in local communities and to divert vulnerable people from the criminal justice system into treatment and support services.
It it also planning for the continuation of a Housing First project which prioritises support to people that are at higher risk of drug and alcohol related death that also experience mental health problems and complex needs. Assertive outreach is a key approach to reaching and engaging people who are vulnerable.
Eve MacLeod, HADP coordinator, said everyone had a role to play in reducing drug deaths.
“HADP urges everyone in Highland to be overdose aware by downloading the HOPE App for free,” she said.
“Tackling stigma and discrimination, which often acts as barriers to treatment, is something we can all do by using People First language and demonstrating kindness, compassion and hope towards people and families affected by drug problems.
“September is Recovery Month, and a timely reminder that people can and do recover, and there’s support available for this.”
Carron McDiarmid chairperson of the HADP, thanked all partners for their collective action towards addressing drug related deaths in Highland.
“We will continue improvements in collaboration, and to bring individuals, families, and partner agencies together to continue to achieve better outcomes for next year and the following years,” she said.
“One area everyone can support is our commitment to challenge stigma and discrimination towards people with problematic drug use.”
Anyone worried about their own or another person’s drug or alcohol use should contact directory of services.
Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP Tim Eagle said although the figures for the Highlands and the Western Isles were lower than the Scottish average, they remained significantly higher than the average for the rest of the UK.
“It’s sobering to think that people are twice as likely to die of a drug-related death in our communities than they are in a metropolis like London,” he said.
“Something has gone badly wrong and I very much hope that the Scottish Government will give serious consideration to the Right to Recovery Bill proposed by the Scottish Conservatives, and provide the necessary support to people who are vulnerable.”
The statistics reveal Glasgow City and Dundee City had the highest rates of drug misuse deaths while East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire had the lowest.
