20/05/2021, 11:45 am
Scotland’s first alcohol and drugs boss with “lived experience” of addiction says the entire approach to substance misuse must change to halt the rise in deaths.
Dermot Craig has been named the new deputy chairman of Aberdeen City Alcohol & Drugs Partnership (ADP) – with his appointment thought to be the first of its kind in Scotland.
But he says too much focus has been placed on the “tip of the iceberg” and is calling for more attention to be given to the many underlying issues at hand.
Earlier this year health chiefs issued an urgent warning when “upwards of 10 suspected deaths” from drugs took place in Aberdeen in the space of just a few weeks.
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Health bosses estimate around 2,600 people are currently using opioids problematically.
The addictive drugs include heroin, methadone, morphine and other powerful prescription painkillers.
Across Scotland, the number of drug-related deaths has increased almost every year in the last two decades – culminating in the largest number ever recorded in 2019 – 1,264.
It was more than double the figure recorded only five years prior.
Aberdeen authorities have now announced plans for more of the council’s 8,000 public-facing staff to be trained to give out naloxone medication, which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
There are hopes the number of naloxone kits handed out to family and friends of drug users could be doubled as part of the awareness campaign – with the aim of lives being saved as a direct result of the work by September.