Tayside has seen a “concerning” rise in the number of drug-related deaths over the past decade, according to health chiefs.
The latest investigation into the numbers and circumstances of drug addicts showed that in 2014, there were 50 deaths compared to 36 the previous year.
In 2009 there were 39 deaths with the numbers decreasing until 2011, then picking up and rising steadily over the next two years.
NHS Tayside’s director of public health and chairman of Tayside Drug Death Review Group, Dr Drew Walker, said: “Substance misuse is a major public health issue at national level and remains a priority for NHS Tayside.
“The number of drug deaths locally has fluctuated over the past few years, however there has been a concerning rise in the past decade and a great deal of work has been going on to address the problem.”
