Drug misuse deaths increase

1,172 people died due to drug misuse in 2023, according to latest statistics published by National Records of Scotland.

This is an increase of 121 deaths compared with 2022. 

This is the second lowest number of drug misuse deaths since 2017, with 2022 seeing the lowest number.

Drug misuse deaths are more common than they were in 2000. After adjusting for age, the rate of drug misuse deaths were 4.2 times as high in 2023 than 2000. 

The average age of drug misuse deaths has also increased from 32 to 45 since 2000.

Opiates and opioids, including heroin, morphine and methadone were implicated in 80% of all deaths.

Almost nine out of 10 drug misuse deaths were classified as accidental poisonings, with 7% classed as intentional self-poisonings.

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. The association of deprivation with drug misuse deaths is much greater than with other causes of death.

Phillipa Haxton, Head of Vital Events Statistics, said:

“Today’s statistics show an increase in drug misuse deaths over the last year. The longer term trend shows that drug misuse deaths are still much more common that they were over two decades ago. In the medium term, today’s figures represent the second lowest number of deaths in the last six years.

“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.”

The rate of drug poisoning deaths in Scotland was more than double the rates of other UK countries in 2022. The rate was 2.7 times as high as the rates for England and Northern Ireland, and 2.1 times as high as the rate in Wales. This is the most recent year that data is available for across the UK. When comparing Scotland and the rest of the UK, the drug poisoning definition should be used.

Notes To Editors

The publication Drug-related deaths in Scotland in 2023 is available on our website.

The number of drug misuse deaths by local authority and calendar year can be found in Table C1. 

The Office for National Statistics has published a blog post that recommends using the drug poisoning definition of drug deaths to compare between UK nations. This is a slightly different measure to the drug misuse deaths definition that NRS use for the headline figures. All UK comparisons in the report are based on the drug poisoning definition. 

Population estimates for 2022, as well as rebased population estimates for 2011 to 2021 were published earlier this year. Rates for the relevant years have been updated to reflect these new population estimates and may therefore differ from those previously published.

Media enquiries should be directed to: 
Sheena Maguire
07391414659
NRS Communications
[email protected]