This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Drug misuse statistics
26/09/2003
Real progress has been made in
tackling the problem of drugs in communities across
Scotland, according to the Deputy Minister for Justice Hugh
Henry. However he warned that much more work was
required.
Commenting on the publication of
statistics from the Scottish Drug Misuse database - a
publication which provides detailed information on the
profile of users attending drug misuse services for the
first time - Mr Henry said that the Executive's review of
drug treatment and rehabilitation services would help
identify where, when and how improvements should be
made.
Mr Henry said:
"Drugs misuse can destroy individuals
and families and weaken communities. Successfully tackling
the complex problem of drugs requires work on different
levels but it is action that the Executive is committed to
taking forward.
"The information published today
provides a useful profile of new drug service users in
Scotland in the past year. Some of the statistics are
encouraging. The number of users attending treatment
services for the first time shows an increase of 26% since
1998/99. There has been a further reduction in the
percentage of drug users who are sharing needles.
"However there has been an increase in
reported injecting, though this may be least in part be
explained by the fact that many services are now
prioritising clients who present the greatest risk - to
themselves, their families and the wider public. But I am
acutely aware that many of the figures reveal just how much
further we need to go.
"Last month I announced a national
review of drug treatment and rehabilitation to ensure that
the increased resources we are putting into this area are
supporting approaches that can be shown to work. This
review will trigger extra investment and an expansion in
services.
"Drug workers do a great job in
delivering appropriate services for users and they will
play an active role in that review. We need to ensure that
the right services are available in the right place at the
right time - every time.
"There is no 'one size fits all' for
effective drug treatment. But that does not diminish the
determination of the Executive to ensure that those users
who recognise they have a problem, and are prepared to do
something positive about it, get the help they need to get
their lives back on track."
The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) offers a
profile of drug misuse based on non-named data about
problem drug users attending services for their drugs
problem.
The information presented relates to
new patients/clients. The definition of 'new' is any
person who is attending the service for a) the first time
ever or b) it has been at least six months since the last
attendance at the service.
The report provides data from the SDMD
for five years up to year end March 31 2003. The data
presented will also form part of the national publication
Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2003 which will be
available later in the year.
It is important to note that the
percentages quoted in the statistics are based on the
number of individuals on which data for each specific
question are available. They are based not on the total
number of individuals reported to the Database.