Drug misuse deaths on the rise in Scotland, RPS calls for policy changes

The RPS is urging action to implement their recommendations on enhancing pharmacies' roles in reducing harm and preventing drug misuse deaths

The latest statistics from the National Records of Scotland showed that 1,172 people died due to drug misuse in 2023, an increase of 121 deaths compared with 2022.

Drug misuse deaths are now more common in the country than they were over two decades ago.

After adjusting for age, the rate of drug misuse deaths in 2023 was found to be 4.2 times higher than in 2000. Additionally, the average age of those who died from drug misuse has risen from 32 to 45 over the last two decades.

Opiates and opioids, including heroin, morphine, and methadone, were implicated in 80 per cent of all drug misuse deaths last year. Nearly 90 per cent of these deaths were classified as accidental poisonings, while seven per cent were deemed intentional self-poisonings.

The data also revealed that people in the most deprived areas of Scotland are "more than 15 times” as likely to die from drug misuse compared to people in the least deprived areas.

However, the number of deaths in 2023 is the second lowest in the last six years, following 2022, which recorded the lowest number (1,051 deaths).

Phillipa Haxton, Head of Vital Events Statistics, noted that males were twice as likely to have a drug misuse death as females.

“Most of the increase in the past year was due to male deaths,” he said.

Glasgow City and Dundee City recorded the highest rates of drug misuse deaths while East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire had the lowest.

Comparatively, the rate of drug poisoning deaths in Scotland was more than double that of other UK countries in 2022.

Scotland's rate was 2.7 times higher than England and Northern Ireland and 2.1 times higher than Wales.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has voiced concern over the rising drug misuse deaths and is advocating for policy changes.

Commenting on the newly released statistics, Laura Wilson, Director of RPS Scotland, said:

“Every death from drug misuse is a tragedy for the individual as well as family, friends, and their wider community.

“The fact that the number of people dying from drug misuse in Scotland is increasing demonstrates that current policy is not as effective as we need it to be and emphasises the need for a holistic approach from Scottish government.”

While the RPS has acknowledged and welcomed the Scottish government's initial measures, such as expanding naloxone availability in community pharmacies for emergency use, they are calling for action to implement their other recommendations.

RPS has published a policy statement on pharmacy’s role in reducing harm and preventing drug deaths, with fourteen recommendations.

These include providing access to patient records for pharmacists to enhance patient safety, managing patients’ transitions between care settings and the faster introduction of safer consumption facilities.

“We continue to ask the Scottish Government’s Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy to meet with us to discuss these policies and how they might be implemented,” Laura Wilson added.