Drugs claimed 28 lives in Moray and Aberdeenshire within three months
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Drugs killed 28 people in Moray and Aberdeenshire between April and June, according to new figures.
In addition, they also claimed the lives of a further 18 people from the north east during the first three months of this year.
Douglas Lumsden, a Conservative list MSP for the north east, described the statistics as "deeply concerning" and labelled the issue "Scotland’s national shame".
He said: “Behind the figures lie tales of personal and family tragedy.
"The fatality rate is still by far the worst in Europe and it is getting worse not better."
There were a suspected 600 deaths across Scotland in the first six months of 2023 – 7% higher than last year’s figures during the same period.
Mr Lumsden expressed the hopes that the SNP-Green government will back the Conservative’s Right to Recovery Bill which looks to give everyone access to treatment across Scotland.
He added: "We have a moral duty to act, to stem the tragic and needless loss of lives.
"At the moment, the current approach to drug addiction clearly isn't working, but this legislation would enshrine in law a right to receive potentially life-saving treatment, including residential rehab."
