Drug Deaths in Scotland Reach Record High, Remain Worst in Europe
Official figures show an 11% increase in drug-related deaths in Scotland over the past year, with the rate significantly higher than any other European nation.
Drug-related deaths in Scotland have risen by 11% in the past year, reaching a record high and maintaining the country's position as having the worst figures in Europe. The latest data reveals a stark disparity, with the rate of drug deaths in the most deprived areas of Scotland being 15 times higher than in the least deprived areas.
The average age of individuals dying from drug-related causes has also increased significantly, rising from 32 in 2000 to 46 years in 2025. This trend highlights a long-standing and worsening crisis.
When compared to the rest of Europe, Scotland's drug death rate was measured at 277 per million people aged 15-64 in 2025 by National Records of Scotland (NRS). For context, the next highest rate reported by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) was 112 deaths per million in Estonia in 2024, the most recent year for which EUDA figures are available. Scotland's rate for 2024 was 246 per million.
NRS notes that its methodology produces similar outcomes to the EUDA's count of "drug-induced deaths," though the two methods use slightly different lists of drugs. The figure for 2025 represents an increase of 116 deaths compared to the previous year, contributing to a total of over 11,000 drug-related deaths in Scotland over the past decade.