| Drug deaths increased by 36% from 26 in 2005 to 35 in Tayside last year. Figures released by the Registrar General for Scotland revealed 20 deaths through drug abuse, nine from accidental overdose and six by suicide.
Individual deaths often involved more than one drug, with heroin involved in 27 deaths, diazepam in eight, alcohol in seven, methadone in four and temazepam in one.
A Dundee-based expert today said agencies were developing an overdose prevention strategy to cut the toll.
The plan is to offer training to drug users, their friends and families in how to avoid overdose, recognise the signs of overdose and what action to take in the event of an emergency.
“We monitor all drug-related deaths so I’m not surprised by these figures,” said Steven Dalton, lead officer of Dundee Drug and Alcohol Action Team.
“Because of the tragic consequence of overdose we regard this as an utmost priority. One death is too many so we need to do as much as we possibly can to reduce the consequences of drug misuse and fatal overdoses.
“We’re hoping to cascade training down to families and drug users themselves because one of the difficulties is they don’t really know how to deal with it when they are faced with an emergency.”
Mr Dalton said a batch of stronger heroin could also be to blame for the increase.
“There certainly has been stronger heroin available over the past year and that in itself can be a contributory factor,” he said.
“What can also be a contributory factor is people starting to use drugs on their own or in other out-of-the way places, but I can’t say at the moment that we know of any particular trend that would be crucial.
“What we want to do is make sure that people are educated in how to deal with overdoses.
“There are pilot projects in Glasgow which may assist in helping to reduce drug-related deaths and we are looking at how we could adapt these or bring them to Dundee.”
Of the 421 deaths in 2006, 162 (38%) occurred in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board area.
Grampian, with 47 (11%), had the next highest total, followed by Lothian with 46 (11%).
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde total showed an increase of 51 since 2005 and there was also a substantial increase (24) in Grampian. However, there was a decrease of 11 in Lothian.
In Fife, drug deaths were down from 21 in 2005 to 19 in 2006. |
