New figures have been released today from the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD). The statistics offer a profile of drug users based on data collected at the time of attending drug services for their problems.
In 2005/06, 13,791 new individuals were reported to the SDMD, down 8 per cent on 2004/05. New is defined as any person who attends a service for the first time ever, or whose last attendance at a service was more than six months ago.
The number of drug users reporting that they had injected in the month prior to seeking treatment had fallen to 29 per cent (38 per cent in 2001/02), and the number of current injectors who reported having shared needles in the past month was at the lowest rate for five years (27 per cent).
Of all those coming forward to drugs services, 68 per cent reported using heroin. In 2005/06, however, 11 per cent of those reporting illicit drug use had used cocaine, an increase from 8 per cent in 2004/5 and double the percentage reporting cocaine use in 2001/02 (5 per cent). The use of crack cocaine was up from 2 per cent (2001/02) to 4 per cent (2005/06). Diazepam was used by 30 per cent of drug users attending services.
The full report contains information on the health impact of drug misuse in Scotland, drug related deaths and drugs and criminal justice.
Source: www.drugscope.org.uk/uploads/goodpractice/documents/scotstats.pdf
Posted: 19th December 2006
