Scotland’s drug policy minister says £300,000 a year has been committed to help set up a benzodiazepine specific treatment service in Fife.
Angela Constance made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, after new figures revealed there were 1,007 drugs-deaths across Scotland so far this year, a decrease of 4% on the same period in 2020.
The SNP minister said the “figures remain high and there is still a long, long way to go” as she pledged to do “everything possible to turn the tide on drug deaths”.
‘Growing risk of benzos’
In her statement, Ms Constance revealed the Scottish Government is providing £300,000 a year to “help set up a benzodiazepine specific treatment service” in Fife.
This will “directly address the growing risk of benzos contributing to drug deaths” and will provide a learning opportunity for other areas, she added.
Benzodiazepines are prescription drugs used to treat anxiety. ‘Street benzos’ are illicit drugs that are similar but can be far more dangerous.
Ms Constance also highlighted funding of £600,000 a year in Dundee to “get more people into treatment through primary care”.
She added: “This is part of a suite of new approaches being taken in Dundee signalling a change in its service model as recommended by the Dundee Drugs Commission.
“These examples of new approaches have been made possible by the additional funding which has come with the national mission.”
Funding to monitor drug deaths
The drug policy minister also announced investment of more than £1.1 million over three years on a range of measures to help “further monitor progress” on drug deaths, including “improvements” to the national drug-related deaths database.
“All of these projects will improve our real-time understanding of harms to enable faster and better responses.”
The government is providing £6m this year to embed Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards across Scotland, to “improve access, choice and support” to treatment services.
Slight fall in drug deaths
Drug deaths have slightly fallen this year, with 1,007 drug deaths across the country so far in 2021.
This is a decrease of 4% on the same period in 2020.
In the quarter from July to September 2021 there were 285 suspected drug deaths, 13% (44) fewer than the previous calendar quarter and 10% less than in the same period the previous year.
Suspected drug deaths have remained at the same level in Tayside so far this year – but the numbers in Fife have dropped.
It comes after a record high number of drug-related deaths were recorded in Scotland in 2020.
Read more on the drug deaths crisis:
- Drug deaths crisis: If New York can take decisive action, why not Scotland?
- Drug deaths in Tayside remain at 2020 levels – but numbers drop in Fife
- Drug deaths crisis: Pioneering US senator tells Holyrood to do whatever it takes to save lives