Government pledges to step up efforts to tackle problem as figures show number of deaths rose to 1,172 in 2023
Scotland’s drug deaths remain the worst in Europe, as ministers pledged to intensify efforts to deal with the problem after a “hugely concerning” 12% increase in fatalities last year.
The health secretary, Neil Gray, said the Scottish government was also “working hard to respond to the growing threat from highly dangerous, super-strong synthetic opioids like nitazenes”, which were involved in 23 deaths.
