Foreword
Drug-related deaths fluctuate from year to year and the trend over five or more years should be considered. When in late 2002 the then Deputy Justice Minister, announced a National Investigation into Drug-related Deaths it was in response to a high number of deaths in that year. By the time the investigation took place in 2003 the number had fallen.
These numbers do not, however, represent the totality of mortality and morbidity of addiction. This circumscribed category of deaths caused by overdose takes no account of HIV, HCV, accidents and other causes.
As currently recorded the total is small compared with deaths from alcohol abuse and insufficient for proper statistical analysis to detect a valid underlying trend. It may need many more years before any real trend can be identified. Even then the number can never be precise because recording drug-related deaths depends on having an accurate definition. It may be too difficult to distinguish accidental overdose from suicide or death from other causes of someone who happens to be a drug user. An analogy might be drawn from deaths due to smoking; lung cancer and chest disease give useful indicators but should we include accidental deaths from fires inadvertently started by smokers?
Secondly the denominator, i.e. the number who use drugs, is impossible to measure with absolute accuracy. Furthermore the extent of their drug abuse would be relevant but remains immeasurable. It is, however, important to attempt a measure of this problem which has such a profoundly damaging effect on families, communities and society in general.
It should be noted that the report examines statistics collected by the General Register Office for Scotland ( GROS) and represents the opinions and ideas of the wide range of professionals from the statutory and voluntary sectors that make up the National Forum on Drug-related Deaths. In addition there is a sub-group of representatives of drug users and their comments are included.
Whatever the uncertainties and the unavoidable limitations, it is important work and deserves to be read with insight rather than prejudice.
JANE JAY
Chair, National Forum on Drug-related Deaths in Scotland