Edinburgh drug deaths hit record high sparking calls for safe consumption rooms

Drug deaths hit a record high in Edinburgh last year, prompting fresh calls for safe drug consumption rooms in the city.

The number of people who lost their lives from an overdose rose to 113, up from from 109 in 2021, new figures have revealed. Drug-related fatalities have almost doubled in the Capital over the last decade, according to the latest statistics released by National Records of Scotland (NRS) on Tuesday, August 22.

Meanwhile there were 279 fewer drug deaths across Scotland, representing a 21 per cent drop – the biggest year on year decrease since the series began. Those living in the most deprived areas of the country continue to be disproportionately affected, with the data demonstrating they are 16 times more likely to die from drug misuse, and men twice as likely to than women.

In Edinburgh, 82 of the 113 deaths – 72 per cent – were men and the remaining 31 women. Some 97 were attributed to accidental poisoning, 9 to intentional self-poisoning, 6 to drug abuse and one was undetermined. The vast majority of fatalities – 88 per cent – were linked to opiate overdoses.

Councillors said setting up a drug consumption room in the city which would provide users with a safe, controlled environment would be vital to reducing the number of overdose deaths in future years.

Cllr Finlay McFarlane, SNP, said: “We are eagerly awaiting the result of the feasibility study currently underway for community drug checking and safe consumption room facilities in Edinburgh but remain concerned that the implementation of these facilities is restrained by outdated and failed drug law reserved to Westminster.

“That said, where we can push for caring and compassionate drugs policy and poverty reduction measures we will continue to do so, and it is important to recognise the herculean efforts of third sector and those campaigning with lived experience in making this cultural and political change possible.”

Lib Dem councillor Euan Davidson added: “It is so important that we see progress on the safe consumption room trial agreed by full council last year. There was unanimous cross party support for my amendment and it is vital that we see this public health measure coming to fruition.

“Until we see the political will to move to decriminalisation of drug possession we must take what steps we can here in the city to move towards a medical and social model rather than a criminalised approach.”

The council voted a year ago to investigate the feasibility of running an official trial of a drug consumption room in the city. Campaigners have called for speedier access to trials and accused health chiefs of ‘conscious inaction’. The Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership said a feasibility study is underway.