World at One, Drug deaths rise sharply in Scotland

World at One

Drug deaths rise sharply in Scotland

23 September 2026

Available for 28 days

Deaths related to illicit drugs rose by 11% in Scotland last year to 1,133 as the country struggles to tackle the worst fatality rate in Europe. What can be done to change this trend? Ronnie Hart has been in recovery from drug addiction for the past 11 years and now works as a practitioner for WithYou, a drug recovery charity in Glasgow. Kirsten Horsburgh is CEO of the charity the Scottish Drugs Forum.

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