Article: Drugs claim a record number of Scots lives; Death toll hits 574 in a year and doubles in a decade.(News)

Byline: Andrew Picken Scottish Political Reporter

SCOTLAND'S worsening drugs epidemic killed a record number of users last year.

A total of 574 Scots drug users died in 2008, a rise of more than a quarter on the previous year's death toll.

Heroin or morphine were to blame in almost two-thirds of cases which come despite successive SNP and Labour-run administrations pouring millions of pounds into anti-drug campaigns.

Figures show the number of drug users dying north of the Border has more than doubled in a decade. Deaths from so-called 'middle-class' drugs glamorised by celebrities are also on the rise.

Cocaine was a factor ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!