Health / Five drug related deaths last year, figures show
Local alcohol and drug development officer says ‘behind each statistic is a person; a mum, dad, daughter or son’
THERE were five drugs related deaths in Shetland in 2023, statistics published by the National Records of Scotland show.
The Shetland figure for 2023 is two more than the previous year.
It comes as a candle lighting event is set to be held at the Lerwick flower park on 31 August between 8pm and 10pm to remember those lost to overdose.
The latest data, published on Tuesday, shows that the number of drug deaths in Scotland has risen by 121 to 1,172 last year.
This however is the second lowest number of drug misuse deaths since 2017.
NHS Shetland’s alcohol and drug development officer Wendy Henderson said while there was an increase in local drug related deaths on the previous year, it is difficult to map trends when the numbers are small.
“However, it’s important that we don’t just see numbers,” she added.
“Behind each statistic is a person; a mum, dad, daughter or son, who has lost their life and leave behind grieving families. One drug related death in our community is one too many.”
The report also highlights a strong link between drug related deaths and deprivation.
People in the most deprived areas of Scotland were 15.3 times more likely to have a drug related death than people in the least deprived areas in 2023, after adjusting for age.
Meanwhile anyone looking for support locally is encouraged to visit the Shetland Alcohol and Drug Partnership website.
Henderson added that “using drugs is never risk free but there are ways to keep yourself as safe as possible”. Harm reduction information can be found here.
Meanwhile naloxone, a medication that temporarily reverses an opioid overdose, is available to anyone who is likely to experience or witness an overdose.
It is available in Shetland from the Recovery Hub in Pitt Lane as well as the substance misuse recovery service, with operates within NHS Shetland’s mental health department in Lerwick Health Centre.
Phillipa Haxton, head of vital events statistics at National Records of Scotland, said nationally the longer term trend shows that drug related deaths are “still much more common that they were over two decades ago”.
“In the medium term, today’s [Tuesday’s] figures represent the second lowest number of deaths in the last six years,” she added.
“The statistics also provide information about the people who are dying from drug misuse. The figures show us 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.
“Glasgow City and Dundee City had the highest rates of drug misuse deaths while East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire had the lowest.”
Scottish health secretary Neil Gray has said that the level of drug related deaths remains “hugely concerning”.
“We’re taking a wide range of actions through our £250 million National Mission on drugs, including opening a safer drug consumption facility pilot, working towards the opening of drug-checking facilities and widening access to life-saving naloxone,” he added.
“We will also continue to improve access to residential rehab, where we’re on track to meet our target for additional placements, and drive the rollout of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards to make treatment and support available more quickly.”
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