On STV last night and up on their website yesterday:
The number of suspected drug deaths in Scotland has continued to fall, according to new figures.
In response to the crisis of the past few years, where drug deaths hit the highest level on record, the Scottish Government announced it would publish quarterly figures for suspected deaths collated from Police Scotland in a bid to improve monitoring.
In the third quarter of this year – between July and September – 235 suspected drug deaths were recorded in Scotland, a drop of 15% from the previous quarter, 18% down on the same quarter of last year, and the lowest quarterly figure since the first quarter of 2017.
So far this year, figures show 797 suspected drug deaths have been logged by police – 21% fewer than the same period last year.
https://news.stv.tv/scotland/scottish-drug-death-numbers-continue-to-fall-after-highest-level-on-record
BBC Scotland nearly 24 hours later:
Not a word.
Earlier signs that Scotland’s drug deaths nightmare, for us, and wet dream for Reporting Scotland, Good Morning Scotland and Drivetime, is coming to an end:
Talking-up Scotland 
STV, being a private broadcaster, has to abide by the ‘balance’ conditions set by Ofcom. The BBC is not covered by these conditions and is answerable to its Governors, who are drawn from ‘the great and the good’ and, increasingly, from the ranks of Tory donors and supporters.
I am not saying that the owners of private broadcasting companies do not have axes to grind – they do – but there are fairly stringent conditions.
I know a couple of people who have worked for both BBC Scotland and STV and they have alluded to these differences as being significant. I know that what I have said is anecdotal, but since so much on BBC Scotland News and Current Affairs is drawn from emails, tweets and conversations at west end dinner tables of conversations on meeting a neighbour in the street, is my anecdote any more or less true than those broadcast on the news programmes?
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Spot on analysis!
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Good news about Scotland is bad news for the English establishment, but we all know that, they rely on people who don’t however. Good to share TuS and others trying to get the truth out to people, via twitter etc.
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The SNP Gov has funded £250Million over five years. Hopefully for total abstinence proper rehab facilities. That had declined. Especially by underfunding of unionist councils and social care. Putting people on methadone forbyears. Just as dehabiliating and dangerous as heroin. Nowthe drugs of choice are cocaine and ketamine. Ruining people’s health and livelihoods. Leading to poverty and deprivation of greater cost. Spend £Millions to save £Billion and early death. Majority of crime is committed under the. Influence of drink and drugs. It is a gender issue. Most crime is committ by males. The Police need training in diversity. Along with most professional, public services.
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