Headlining the Sturgeon/Ross visit to a drugs project, BBC Scotland link to their July 2020 report on drug deaths climbing steeply but seem not to have noted this year’s data showing a clear reversal of the increase in the 25-34 year olds and a small reduction, from 6% to 5% in the overall number.
This confirms a flattening after the 27% surge in 2018.
Why is this happening? Perhaps this from last year:
I agree fully that we should do all we can, now, to reduce drug deaths.
But, this ‘crisis’ may be burning itself out. See these graphs:
In a BBC Scotland report from December 2020:
The National Records of Scotland statistics are six months late after a huge backlog in processing toxicology results and delays due to Covid-19. They show that two-thirds of those who died were aged 35 to 54. The report said the median average age of drug-related deaths had gone up from 28 to 42 over the past two decades. However, there was also an increase in deaths among 15 to 24 year olds – from 64 in 2018 to 76 in 2019.
That the graphs divide the data simply into over 35 and under 34 groups slightly conceals the evidence that Scotland’s exceptionally high drug deaths are due to a wave of death affecting those whose lives were ruined by Tory economic policies from 1979 to 1997 and, crucially, that the wave already shows signs of fading out as the older members, 55-64 disappear from the data:
Even were we to do nothing and I’m by no means suggesting that, the shortened lives inevitable after a life of drug abuse, mean that 35-54 groups group do not have long even if they avoid overdose and the level of deaths among the currently under 34, not unusual in other countries, will become the norm.
Talking-up Scotland 
This may be another BBC anti SNP thingy but it could simply be incompetence by the subject author to notice the date of the data they were using was past it’s sell by date. Too easy to pick up data you already have and not look for updates.
Hopefully this is the beginnings of a down trend. If it is, know doubt Dross will say it was because he went with Nikla for a visit to a drug room.
LikeLiked by 2 people
On the radio news the report about this by Connor (I-am-angry-all-the-time) Gillies, rehashed the Tory criticism of SG policy upfront, immediately after stating that “Mr Ross and the FM (sic)” are to visit a drug treatment centre in Glasgow. The BBC is politicising this as they do most things on the news.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I can’t understand why the Nicola Sturgeon the FM of Scotland is going to a drugs treatment centre in Glasgow WITH the little TORY windbag DRoss. His party have refused to allow the Scottish government to set up treatment rooms so far, and now what, want to shadow the FM so they can take the credit for this? Is drugs policy still reserved to Westminster, the English government in WM?
We all know who will be given the media platform to spout his DRoss about this as the saviour of Scotland, while the SNP will be demonised, as if they are the ones pushing the drugs personally! The whole terrible decades long drugs problem in Scotland, has been orchestrated by the BritNats, do they police the vast Scottish coastline as is their actual responsibility, to stop the drugs being brought into the UK via Scotland? It would seem not.
LikeLike
DRoss does not deserve to stand next to Nicola Sturgeon as if he is someone important. The FM has more intelligence and integrity in one hair on her head, than he has in his whole body. Keep your distance Nicola!
LikeLiked by 1 person