From Public Health Scotland’s National drug related death database (Scotland)
Analysis of Deaths Registered in 2019 and 2020, published today, it’s clear that Scotland’s drug deaths are to a very large extent a legacy of the Labour and Tory governments that ruled the UK and devolved Scotland for decades before the SNP came into power, with limited powers over drug use, in 2007.
Treatment for these users has been, for years, top notch, with above the 90% target seen within three weeks or less:
Between 1 April and 30 June 2024, 7,361 referrals to community-based services started treatment. Of these referrals, 6,860 (93.2%) involved a wait of three weeks or less, with 3,968 (53.9%) starting treatment within one week of referral (Excel workbook Table 2.1). Across Scotland, the median length of wait was seven days for all substance types. The median length of wait was eight days for alcohol, seven days for co-dependency and three days for drugs.
Sources:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Yes. It’s sort of like blaming today’s councillors for the galloping erosion problems we have today when, in fact, councils have been warned for decades of the impending problem.
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Young people are going for help. Earlier intervention is more successful. The Scottish Gov is funding rehab £250Million over five years. The statistics in Scotland are collected as a total. Elsewhere they are collected in different categories. Death by overdose, death by heroin, accidental death.
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How 39 and 31 make 80 is a mystery to me. Referrals are not the same as starting treatment. And even if the majority of drug users who have died started before the SNP came to power, so what? Did the government not have responsibility for treating them as well? And everyone knows that the budget for treating addictions has been cut over the last few years. There’s talking up Scotland and there’s lies, damn lies and statistics.
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