DRUG deaths are down in Dumfries and Galloway and at their lowest since 2015.
Figures released by the National Records of Scotland this week revealed that 12 men died in the region as a result of drugs during 2023, compared to 37 deaths the previous year.
All the cases have been classed as ‘accidental poisoning’, with traces found of various substances, including heroin, morphine, methadone, diazepam, cocaine, Ecstasy type and alcohol.
Health bosses have welcomed the fall and say it’s down to a range of initiatives.
Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership acting chief officer Nicole Hamlet said: “Any decrease in the number of drug-related deaths is a move in the right direction.
“However, it’s vital that everyone recognises that drug deaths are preventable, and that behind these statistics there are families and friends grieving the loss of a loved one, and other families worrying about their loved one’s substance use.
“I’d also highlight that service staff who forge relationships with clients can also be extremely affected by a loss of life.”
She said a great deal of work continues to take place around implementing the Medically Assisted Treatment Standards for Drugs, to ensure people receive quicker access to services and can start treatment on the same day as their appointment.
And she noted that Dumfries and Galloway has the highest proportion of prescriptions for Buvidal, a safer alternative to Methadone.
Other work includes an outreach team; widespread Naloxone training and availability of kits; the launch of a Local Early Warning Group to monitor, assess and respond to alerts relating to potential emerging drug related harms; and a residential rehab pathway.
Dumfries and Galloway Alcohol and Drug Partnership strategic lead Jackie Davies added: “We know that people are taking different drugs in combination which greatly increases the risk to them.
“In particular, we are seeing evidence of people taking opioids like heroin and methadone along with illicit tablets they believe are benzodiazepines (often called benzos, valium or vallies) that are bought online or on the streets.
“These combinations can have a sedating or toxic effect on the body, and people who use drugs are urged not to mix drugs or to take street tablets, no matter how long they have been taking drugs.”
She continued: “Drug deaths can be preventable and that’s why we want to make sure that we tell people about the risks to them and how they can get help.
“Every single drug-related death is a cause for major regret, and there is a determination to continue to work across Dumfries and Galloway with partners, people who use drugs and their families to reduce the risk of drug-related deaths as much as we possibly can.”
Also commenting on the situation, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “I very much welcome the drop in drug death numbers in Dumfries and Galloway, these are the lowest figures since 2015, but they are still double compared with just over a decade ago.
“Across Scotland you can see how much work still needs to be done.”
And Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson cautiously welcomed the drop but insists more needs to be done.
“We still have a long way to go in the battle over drug deaths,” he said. “I still believe that much of the impact of drug misuse we have in rural areas is hidden.
“But at least, contrary to the national picture, in Dumfries and Galloway, we can take some comfort that the dreadful death rate is moving in the right direction, mostly thanks to the hard work and professionalism of the drug and alcohol related organisations in the region.”
