ISD Scotland
A Division of the NHS National Services Scotland

ISD Scotland
National Statistics

Drug Misuse In Scotland
Abstract of Statistics 2001

 

  

Information from services to drug misusers

  
In 2000/01, the Scottish Drug Misuse Database received information on 10 591 new attenders at drug services (including general practice). Source : ISD Scotland (Scottish Drug Misuse Database)  
Heroin use by age group
  • Information on new attenders at drug services shows that reports of heroin use has increased in recent years - from 56 per cent of new attenders in 1996/97 to 71 per cent in 2000/01. This increase is reflected in all age groups.

    click chart to view full sized chart and source data

 Heroin Data
Injected in previous month
  • In 2000/01, 39 per cent of new attenders at drug services reported that they had injected in the previous month, a decrease from the 40 per cent reported in 1999/00. This fall is reflected in both the under 20 and 20-29 age groups. For those aged 30 years and over, the percentage increased.

click chart to view full sized chart and source data

 Injecting Data
Shared in previous month
  • The percentage of injectors reporting that they had shared injecting equipment in the previous month has remained reasonably static in recent years. Information by age group shows a fall in the sharing percentage of the under 20s contrasts with a slight increase in the percentage sharing among the older age groups.

    click chart to view full sized chart and source data

 

 Sharing Data
   

The rate of prescribing methadone mixture has increased steadily over the last four years. In 2000/01 there were 53 prescriptions of methadone mixture per 1 000 population; compared to 35 prescriptions per 1 000 population in 1997/98. Source : ISD Scotland (PCIG)
PCIG Data

 

  

Eighty-four per cent of the total number of methadone prescriptions dispensed in 2000/01 were dispensed in instalments (e.g. daily doses). Daily dispensing was introduced to combat non-prescribed use of methadone. Due to a change in data collection methods, it is not appropriate to compare these figures with those presented in previous years. Source : ISD Scotland (PCIG)
PCIG Data
   

Drug education policies in schools

  
In 2000/01, 97 per cent of all schools in Scotland provided drug education as compared to 95 per cent in 1999/00. Virtually all secondary schools said they provided drug education while 98 per cent and 80 per cent of responding primary and special schools, respectively, said they did so. A greater proportion of local authority schools than other schools provided drug education, notably in the primary sector. Source : Scottish Executive Education Department

In 2000/01, 93 per cent of schools provided education on controlled drugs and this proportion was at least as high for alcohol, tobacco, solvents and safe use of medicine. Figures for all types of drug education show increases from 1999/00. Source : Scottish Executive Education Department

Education Data
   

Drugs and criminal justice

  

 
   

The number of drug seizures in Scotland rose nearly four-fold between 1985 and 1995, and increased by a further 41 per cent by 1998. However, in 1999 there was a fall of 5 per cent in Scotland compared to 12 per cent across the UK as a whole (excluding HM Customs & Excise). Source : Home Office
Seizures Data

 

  
The quantities of heroin, cocaine and methadone seized in Scotland reached record levels in 1999. Of particular note is the fact that the amount of heroin confiscated in 1999 was 5 times the quantity seized the previous year, itself a record. Between 1998 and 1999, there were also moderate increases in the seizures of crack cocaine, LSD and benzodiazepines. Source : Home Office
Seizures Data
   

The 31 431 drug-related offences recorded by Scottish police forces in 2000 are equivalent to a rate of 615 per 100 000 population. The largest proportion of drug-related offences recorded were in Glasgow City council area, at a rate of 1 451 per 100 000 population, followed by Inverclyde with a rate of 1 065 per 100 000 population. Source : Scottish Executive Justice Department

Offences Data
   
In 1999, 6 400 people were convicted in Scottish courts of drug offences (i.e. where ‘main offence’). Of these, 4 841 (76 per cent) were charged with ‘possession’ and 1 466 (23 per cent) were charged with ‘possession with intent to supply’. Source : Scottish Executive Justice Department
Offences Data
   

In October 2000, a sample of 364 prisoners were tested from a spread of establishments in the Scottish Prison Service at entry to the prisons from the community. Seventy-five per cent of these reception testing samples tested positive for drugs. The most commonly detected drugs, as a percentage of all tests taken, were cannabis (53 per cent), benzodiazepines (45 per cent) and opiates (31 per cent). Source : Scottish Prison Service
Prison Data
   

Each month, 10 per cent of the prisoner population in each prison in Scotland is randomly selected for a urine test. In 2000/01, 21 per cent of all tests gave a positive result, compared with 22 per cent the previous year. Comparable figures based on the underlying rate (excluding those who may have used the drugs for which they tested positive, before entry to prison) have remained steady at 15 per cent. Source : Scottish Prison Service
Prison Data
   

In June 2000, the SPS launched its revised drug strategy. This aims to keep drugs out of prisons; to bring prisoners into drug treatment; to keep them in contact with treatment services; and to manage effectively transition between prison and community. Of a total of 23 472 recorded prison receptions in 2000/01, 14 300 (61 per cent) were identified as having an issue with substance misuse. Of the 9 800 subsequently offered assessment for their substance misuse problems, 78 per cent undertook the assessment. Source : Scottish Prison Service
Prison Data

 

Drug Misuse In Scotland 2001
This is an ISD Scotland National Statistics release

For further information please contact: Elaine Parry