187 suspected drug deaths in Glasgow in first half of 2021

What are the figures: Police Scotland has released information about suspected drug deaths in Scotland.

The data, which covers the first six months of 2021, shows that there were more suspected drug deaths in Glasgow than any other area.

There were 187 in the city, compared to 67 in Lanarkshire and 64 in Edinburgh.

The Glasgow figure is down on 12 months before - there were 194 suspected drug deaths in the first six months of 2020.

What does the data show: The Scottish figures reveal a one per cent drop in suspect drug deaths compared to the same period in 2020.

Males accounted for 72 per cent of the deaths, with 69 per cent of victims aged between 35 and 54.

There were 1402 drug deaths over the 12 months to June 2021, the third highest number recorded in a 12-month period.

What does the Scottish Government say: Drugs policy minister Angela Constance said: “Once again these figures are appalling. We are taking a vast range of actions to tackle this public health emergency, and we recognise the hard work and challenges ahead.

“More regular reporting of data on drug death trends in Scotland will ensure everyone involved in our national mission remains focused on the work we must do to get more people into the treatment that is best suited for them as quickly as possible.

“We know that to do this we must create a more integrated, person-centred approach to treatment. We are therefore investing £2.3 million over the next three years in Health Improvement Scotland to ensure people are treated not only for their physical health addiction but their mental health too.

“We are also working to reduce stigma and increase awareness. The Naloxone Awareness Campaign we launched with the Scottish Drugs Forum on International Overdose Awareness Day has already attracted 2,848 visits to the StopTheDeaths website.

“The £250 million we are investing in tackling this public health emergency will make a difference. I am working to ensure it reaches front-line services as quickly as possible and that every single penny will count as we continue to prioritise our efforts to turn this crisis around.”