SCOTS ECSTASY DEATHS SOAR

ECSTASY deaths in Scotland are the highest in Britain, Government figures
have revealed.

Scotland, which has a tenth of the population of England and Wales,
accounted for a third of the deaths from the drug in the three countries
last year.

Figures from the General Register Office for Scotland show that last year
20 Scots lives were lost to the dance drug. The number of deaths linked to
the substance in England and Wales was 40.

The number of ecstasy deaths in Scotland has multiplied sevenfold since
1998, compared to a fourfold rise over the UK.

The figures come just weeks after it was revealed an ecstasy tablet can now
be bought across Scotland for UKP 1, less than the cost of a half of lager.

A spokesman for the Scottish Drugs Forum said they were concerned. He said:
"We don't really know why there has been such an increase. This is
something we are going to be looking at."