Suspected drug deaths in Scotland: July to September 2021

4. Recent trends in Police Scotland suspected drug deaths

Police Scotland management information gives an indication of recent trends in drug deaths in Scotland based on reports from police officers attending scenes of death. Classification as a suspected drug death is based on an officer's observations and initial enquiries at the scene of death.

Source: Police Scotland

The number of suspected drug deaths during the first nine months of 2021 was 1,007, a slight fall on the first nine months of 2020 where 1,047 suspected drug deaths were recorded. While suspected drug deaths have fallen for two consecutive quarters in 2021, there continues to be a general upward trend over the period for which data is available.

During the first nine months of 2021:

• There were 1,007 suspected drug deaths, 4% (40) fewer than during the first nine months of 2020.
• Males accounted for 72% of suspected drug deaths. This compares with 74% during the first nine months of 2020.
• There were 281 suspected drug deaths of females, an increase of 5% (14) compared with the first nine months of 2020.
• Just over two thirds (69%) of suspected drug deaths were of people aged between 35 and 54.
• There were 51 suspected drug deaths in the under 25 age group, 27% (19) fewer than during the first nine months of 2020.
• The Police Divisions with the greatest number of suspected drug deaths were Greater Glasgow (265), Lanarkshire (98), Edinburgh City (86) and North East (86).

For quarter 3, July to September 2021:

• There were 285 suspected drug deaths, 13% (44) fewer than the previous calendar quarter (April to June 2021), and 10% (31) fewer than during the same calendar quarter in the previous year (July to September 2020).

Note that numbers of suspected drug deaths fluctuate from quarter to quarter and care should be taken not to interpret movements between individual calendar quarters as indicative of any long term trend.

For the rolling 12 month period, i.e., adding the most recent four quarters together:

• There were 1,371 suspected drug deaths over the 12 months to September 2021.
• This is 2% (31) fewer than the 12 months to June 2021, but is the fifth highest number recorded in any rolling 12 month period during the timeframe for which data is available.

A breakdown of suspected drug deaths by police division by calendar quarter for the period January 2020 to September 2021 can be found in Annex A.

More detail on the statistics presented above is available in the workbook provided. (see supporting documents)