SCOTS SHOCK AS COCAINE USE SOARS

COCAINE use in Scotland has soared in recent years - and the use of
crack cocaine has also risen sharply, figures show.

The figures also show the largest number of people receiving
methadone, the heroin substitute, are in the Greater Glasgow area.

Five years ago fewer than 600 people, or 5% of all those reporting
illicit drug use, were taking cocaine.

continued...This year the number increased to 1250, who accounted for
11% of all those reporting illicit drug use.

Last year it was 982, or 8% of those reporting illicit drug use.

Meanwhile, the numbers using crack cocaine have increased from 190 in
2001 to 484 this year.

The annual figures chart the numbers of drug users showing up for the
first time at treatment services.

They also show there were more than 457,000 methadone prescriptions
last year, at a total cost of UKP12.2million.

Methadone prescribing rates have gone up 45% over the past five
years, with around one third of the prescriptions - 152,000 - in the
NHS Greater Glasgow area.

The figures suggest the proportion of heroin users among new drug
users was 68% last year, down from 77% in 2001.

Just under 30% of users said they had injected drugs in the month
before turning up for treatment, against 38% in 2001. The numbers
sharing needles was at its lowest for five years.

Overall, the number of drug users showing up for treatment for the
first time was 13,971 this year, up 18% in five years although there
was a dip last year.

There were 336 drug-related deaths in 2005, mostly among people under
40, but with 14% of the victims under 25.

Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said the Scottish Executive was
having "some success" in key areas of its drugs strategy.