Scotland 'still UK's drug deaths capital' despite miscounting in England and Wales

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Scotland is still the drug death capital of the UK and Europe despite thousands of opioid deaths being miscounted in England and Wales, experts have said. ‌

Professor Andrew McAuley of Glasgow Caledonian University said the UK-wide picture hadn’t changed, with Scots suffering drug fatalities at a rate around three times higher than south of the border. ‌

Last week, research revealed more than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths had been missed since 2011 by the Office for National Statistics. ‌

King’s College London found there were 39,232 opioid-related deaths between 2011 and 2022 in England and Wales – more than 50 per cent higher than previously known.

Prof McAuley stressed the deaths weren’t “missing” but had been inaccurately categorised.

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