Drug deaths in Scotland rise 11% as country struggles with worst rate in Europe
Summary
Drug-related deaths in Scotland increased by 11% in 2025, reaching 1,133 deaths. Scotland continues to have the highest drug death rate in Europe, with synthetic opioids mixed with other drugs contributing to the rise.Key Facts
- Scotland had 1,133 drug-related deaths in 2025, 116 more than in 2024.
- Over the last ten years, more than 11,000 drug-related deaths were recorded in Scotland.
- The age-adjusted death rate was 21.4 per million people, or 277 per million aged 15-64.
- Synthetic opioids like nitazenes, combined with heroin, cocaine, and fake Valium, increased the risk of death.
- Male drug user deaths rose by 19%, while female deaths dropped by 5%.
- People in the most deprived areas faced drug death rates 15 times higher than in the least deprived areas.
- Scotland’s drug death rate is much higher than other UK countries and Europe; Estonia had the next highest rate at 112 per million (2024).
- The average age of death among drug users increased from 32 in 2000 to 46 in 2025.
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