Professor John Robertson OBA

From Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly ​report
April 2025 published today:

Between December 2024 and February 2025, the number of drug-related attendances at emergency departments (888) was 9% lower than the previous quarter (977). This was 18% lower than the same period commencing in December 2022 (1,074) and 14% lower than in the same period commencing in December 2023 (1,035).

Between October and December 2024, 1,795 drug-related hospital admissions were recorded. This was 19% lower than the previous quarter (2,204). Admissions were similar to the same period in 2022 (1,799) and 17% lower than the same period in 2023 (2,166).

https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/rapid-action-drug-alerts-and-response-radar-quarterly-report/rapid-action-drug-alerts-and-response-radar-quarterly-report-april-2025/harm-indicators/drug-related-acute-hospital-admissions/

Why is the above happening?

In major part for this reason:

After a pilot phase ending in 2018, the Scottish Government began to embed Naloxone opioid overdose reversal kits across NHS Scotland. Shortly after, the kits which can be administered by anyone, were adopted by Police Scotland, ambulances and prisons, and made available to libraries, community centres, taxi drivers and to the friends and relatives of users.

Scotland was the first country in the world to introduce a national naloxone programme, empowering individuals, families, friends and communities to reverse an opiate overdose.

Anyone in Scotland can now order a free naloxone kit from national charity Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs (SFAD) and be trained in its use.

Opioids such as those found in prescription painkillers are now responsible for 81% of all drug deaths in Scotland.

The above dramatic decline can only be attributed to this world-leading, but unknown in Scotland, initiative.

Source: https://www.gov.scot/policies/alcohol-and-drugs/national-mission/