DRUG DEATHS UP 25%

Special Report: Drugs In Britain

The number of drug deaths in Scotland rose by almost a quarter last
year despite high profile attempts to tackle the problem.

The latest figures, published by the Scottish executive today, reveal
that 340 people died from drugs in 1999, compared with 276 in 1998.

Most worrying for the executive is the number of young victims: more
than a quarter were under 25.

Angus MacKay, the deputy justice minister, said that with around 20,000
intravenous drug users in Scotland, there could be no hope of an
immediate reversal of the trend of recent years.

"Our drugs action plan launched in May anticipated that deaths for 1999
would surpass the 300 mark," he said.

Drug workers put some of the rise down to the volume, purity and
relatively low cost of the heroin available.

Mr MacKay said another, less dramatic, rise in deaths was expected this
year. Thirty people have already died this year after using a rogue
batch of heroin.

While the number of victims aged under 25 is high, the vast majority
are aged 25-44. Alistair Ramsay, of Scotland Against Drugs, said this
was partly due to a phenomenon known as "bottoming out" - where long-
term heroin users hit rock bottom and either come off the drug or die.
"That is a problem inherited from a period of 10 to 15 years ago when
drug education was not very effective," he said.

Most of Scotland's drug users are concentrated in the Strathclyde
police force region - particularly in Glasgow's housing estates.

Grampian had the second highest number of deaths, overtaking Lothian -
which includes Edinburgh - with 42 in 1999, up from 31 the year before.
Outside the urban centre of Aberdeen much of Grampian's problem is
concentrated in Fraserburgh, which has a serious problem with young
men, particularly fishermen, becoming heroin addicts.

A spokesman for the Scottish National party said: "The fact that 27% of
victims were under 25 shows quite clearly that the Scottish executive
has failed this age group."

Deaths among users of methadone - the controversial prescription drug
given to addicts trying to quit heroin - fell slightly last year, with
62 people dying, compared with 64 the year before.