Scottish Government publishes suspected drug deaths in Scotland statistics

The Scottish Government has published its first quarterly statistics on the number of suspected drug deaths during the first half of 2021. This first report covers January to June 2021, after which they will show statistics for each subsequent three-month period.

The new statistics show that in the first six months of 2021: 

• there were 722 suspected drug deaths, 1% fewer than during the first six months of 2020 
• males accounted for 72% of suspected drug deaths, compared to 76% during the same period last year 
• just over two-thirds of suspected drug deaths were in people aged between 35 and 54 
• there were 35 suspected drug deaths in the under 25 age group, 29% fewer than during the first six months of 2020 
• the police divisions with the highest numbers of suspected drug deaths were Greater Glasgow (187), Lanarkshire (67), Edinburgh City (64) and Tayside (64)

Source: Scottish Government, 14 September 2021