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| Drug deaths in Scotland rose by 23% in 2016 | Drug deaths in Scotland rose by 23% in 2016 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland last year totalled 867, a rise of 23% on 2015. | The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland last year totalled 867, a rise of 23% on 2015. |
| Numbers have been steadily increasing since 1995, when 426 fatal overdoses were recorded. | Numbers have been steadily increasing since 1995, when 426 fatal overdoses were recorded. |
| The latest statistics from the National Records of Scotland showed more than 70% of deaths were among people aged 35 or over. | The latest statistics from the National Records of Scotland showed more than 70% of deaths were among people aged 35 or over. |
| Critics say the continuing rise calls into question the effectiveness of the Scottish government's drugs strategy. | Critics say the continuing rise calls into question the effectiveness of the Scottish government's drugs strategy. |
| However, the minister for public health, Aileen Campbell, said "unfortunately" the figures for Scotland were representative of a general trend of increasing drug deaths "across the UK and in many other parts of Europe". | |
| She added that the problem in Scotland was complex and based on a legacy of drugs misuse "stretching back decades". | |
| Ms Campbell explained: "What we are seeing is an ageing group of people who are long term drugs users. | |
| "They have a pattern of addiction which is very difficult to break, and they have developed other chronic medical conditions as a result of this prolonged drugs use." | |
| She said she recognised more needed to be done but that there were "no easy solutions". | |
| A breakdown of the figures showed that; | |
| Dave Liddell, chief executive of the Scottish Drugs Forum, said the scale of the problem was a "national tragedy that requires a fundamental rethink of our approach". | |
| He said: "Other countries have achieved a reduction in overdose deaths by ensuring that people are appropriately retained in high-quality treatment and we must aspire to do the same." |