Greens call for radical new approach as drug-related deaths in Scotland increase in 11%
The Scottish Greens have said there must be radical action on prevention, treatment, and harm reduction following the release of the latest suspected drug-related death figures.
The National Records for Scotland revealed that there were 1133 drug use deaths registered in Scotland, an increase of 11%, 116 deaths, compared with 2024.
The party says the latest figures should be a wake-up call that should be met with urgent action rooted in public health, compassion, and prevention.
Scottish Greens health spokesperson Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill said:
“Every one of these deaths is a devastating and preventable tragedy. Behind every number is a family that is hurting and a community left grieving.
“We cannot keep repeating the same failed approach and expect different results. Scotland is facing a drugs crisis, and it must be treated with the urgency it demands, through public health, prevention, compassion, and evidence.
“People who use drugs are already among the most marginalised in our society. Too often, an outdated legal framework makes things worse by pushing people further from the help they need instead of bringing them closer to it. We need to ensure that people can access support quickly, safely and without stigma, fear or criminalisation.
“We cannot meaningfully cut these numbers without tackling the conditions that are driving harmful drug use in the first place, such as poverty, trauma, poor mental health, isolation and deprivation.
“That means a major expansion of harm reduction and treatment services, including safe consumption facilities in areas where public drug use is a serious concern.
“It also means wider access to drug checking, heroin-assisted treatment and stabilisation services, alongside properly funded support that addresses people’s medical, psychological and social needs together.
“That requires investment in prevention, treatment and harm reduction and a willingness to follow the evidence rather than cling to approaches that are not delivering.
“In the longer term, Scotland needs the powers to pursue a genuinely modern public health approach to drugs, including decriminalisation and legal regulation.
“Unless every level of government acts with urgency and unless Holyrood and Westminster work together to reform the outdated laws then more lives will be needlessly lost.”