Suspected drug deaths in Scotland: October to December 2022

3. Main points

During 2022:

• There were 1,092 suspected drug deaths, 16% (203) fewer than during the same period of 2021 (1,295);
• Males accounted for 70% of suspected drug deaths. This compares with 73% between January and December 2021;
• There were 325 suspected drug deaths of females, a decrease of 9% (31) compared to the same period in 2021;
• A majority (66%) of suspected drug deaths were of people aged between 35 and 54. This is broadly in line with previous periods;
• There were 55 suspected drug deaths in the under 25 age group, 19% (13) fewer than between January and December 2021;
• The Police Divisions with the greatest number of suspected drug deaths were: Greater Glasgow (214), Lanarkshire (118) and Edinburgh City (113).

For quarter 4, October to December 2022:

• There were 295 suspected drug deaths recorded, 26% (60) more than between July to September 2022 (235), and 2% (7) more than the same calendar quarter in the previous year (October to December 2021, 288).
• This is the highest recorded number of suspected drug deaths recorded in a single calendar quarter since April to June 2021.

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

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