Drugs

Dear Editor, On 23 Jan 2023 you reported that Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) were standing at their lowest number (360) over the preceding eight years which had averaged 560 Orders per annum.

The number of drug treatment and testing orders commenced in 2021-22 was lower than in any of the previous eight years, new figures from Scotland's chief statistician show. There were 360 drug treatment and testing orders made in 2021-22. The average figure for the preceding eight years wa

Four people have been jailed for human trafficking and serious organised crime offences in Glasgow. Two men and two women were found guilty of charges relating to the operation of brothels and the transportation of foreign nationals they exploited as prostitutes.

The latest National Records of Scotland statistics show 1,330 people lost their lives to drugs in 2021 – a decrease of only one per cent on the previous year. A national mission was announced in January 2021 to tackle rising death deaths in Scotland with additional funding of £250 millio

Scotland's addiction services and drug laws should be reformed, the head of the drug deaths taskforce said as the group published its final report. The Changing Lives report makes 20 recommendations as well as 139 action points it suggests will help stem the tide of drug deaths in Scotland.

New courts will direct drug and alcohol abusers to tackle their addiction head-on "or face tough consequences". England and Wales' first three Problem-Solving Courts (PSCs) are being piloted as part of the UK government’s £900 million drug strategy, based on evidence that this approach w

Drugs policy minister Angela Constance has said progress being made on the implementation of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards is “neither good enough nor quick enough”. MAT standards ensure safe, accessible and consistently high-quality treatment for drug users to help reduc

A fresh attempt to establish drug consumption rooms in Scotland contrary to the wishes of the Home Office has been launched. Campaigners are calling for the rooms to be introduced to stem the tide of drug deaths.

A total of 77 initiatives working with people affected by drug use are to receive awards totalling more than £25 million over the next five years. Grants of more than £6m in total have been allocated to 16 organisations providing residential rehabilitation and pre and post rehabilitation

Children’s charity Aberlour will receive a grant of more than £5.5 million over this parliamentary term to develop two Mother and Child Residential Recovery Houses. The houses will be designed to enable children of women with problematic substance use to stay with their mothers during th

A national target will be introduced to ensure more people with problematic opiate drug use are accessing life-saving community treatments. There are currently around 29,500 people using Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST). Under the new target, announced today by drugs policy minister Angela Constanc

The latest quarterly report on the number of suspected drug deaths during 2021 shows a fall of eight per cent (116) on the previous year. The report from Police Scotland shows there were 1,295 deaths between January and December 2021. The equivalent number of suspected drug deaths for 2020 was 1,411

Native American tribes have settled for $590 million with Johnson & Johnson and three other drug distribution companies over opioid addiction in their community, The Times reports. The drug giant and distributors McKesson Corp, AmerisourceBergen Corp and Cardinal Health Inc had proposed paying a

Middle-class drug users could lose their passports or driving licences as part of a new UK government strategy on drugs. The news comes as it was reported that traces of cocaine were found in 11 bathrooms in Parliament.

In a world first, New Zealand has legalised drug-checking after passing a law to allow a temporary pill testing service at festivals to continue and expand. In contrast, other countries' drug-checking services have operated in a legal grey zone.