The variety of individuals in Tayside to die from suspected unlawful drug use between January and March 2022 has dropped from the identical interval final yr.
The brand new figures launched by the Scottish Authorities reveal that 25 handed away within the first three months of this yr, 5 lower than in 2021.
Nonetheless the statistics, revealed on Tuesday, present that there's a rise in comparison with the October to December interval (18) and the July to September interval (17) final yr.
The April to June interval had the very best variety of suspected deaths in 2021 with 34.
Of the 13 police divisions, Tayside has the fifth highest variety of deaths in Scotland for the primary three months of 2022, with Larger Glasgow recording the very best quantity with 50 deaths.
The capital had the second highest with 31 Edinburgh deaths, then Lanarkshire on 29 after which Ayrshire on 27.
The quarterly numbers are measured utilizing statistics recorded by Police Scotland and embody deaths that officers suspect concerned using illicit medication.
A complete of 285 Scottish individuals died from suspected unlawful drug use within the first quarter of 2022, representing a 27 per cent drop from the beginning of final yr.
Responding to the figures, Scottish Labour drug coverage spokesperson and Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker mentioned whereas the “early indicators” are there that the problem is being tackled, the variety of deaths is “nonetheless tragically excessive”.
“Though it's optimistic to see early indicators that we're lastly tackling this public well being emergency, the variety of individuals dropping their lives to drug use remains to be tragically excessive,” she added.
“Each single drug-related dying is one too many and so whereas any progress ought to be welcomed, there isn't a room for complacency.
“The Scottish Authorities should hold their eye on the ball and use each energy at their disposal to assist communities and forestall lives being misplaced and destroyed by drug use.”
Deputy first minister and Perthshire North MSP John Swinney responded: “While it's encouraging that total drug deaths have diminished, and that the variety of medication deaths is down 27 per cent within the first quarter of 2022 in comparison with the primary quarter of 2021, there may be clearly nonetheless a lot work to be completed.
“Each drug dying is a tragedy and the Scottish Authorities stays totally dedicated to utilizing all powers at our disposal to handle this public well being emergency.
“Certainly, we're completely clear that one drug dying is one too many.
“It is because of this that we've got allotted an extra £250m of funding to deal with this situation, along with making a minister inside the Scottish Authorities accountable particularly for medication coverage.
“I hope that we are actually starting to see the advantages of this vital funding, and that we are able to proceed to see drug deaths fall within the months and years forward.”