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August 2008

 

Police issue "red" heroin warning

1 August 2008

STRATHCLYDE Police has warned that a national current heroin shortage could mean new health risks for injecting drug users switching to a rogue batch of "red" heroin.

The force says that unconfirmed reports suggest that a substance described as ‘red heroin’ is available and may cause serious health problems including vein blockages. The heroin shortage has been confirmed not only in Strathclyde but in surrounding areas and other parts of the UK, according to police.

While there are no known police recoveries of red heroin in the Strathclyde area, the force says other sources claim that it does exist and is causing problems to users, particularly when injected.

Health workers in Ayrshire have also circulated a warning over the presence of red heroin and say that it may be cut with seroquel, amitriptyline and or paracetamol.

They warn that once the solution has been prepared it is apparently crystallising in the syringe - which means clients are injecting the solution as quickly as possible.

This may subsequently cause blockages which could lead to vein damage, including abscesses or thombosis.

Once the solution has been injected, clients have reported deep levels of unconsciousness almost immediately for long periods of time – often three to four hours - and suffering from significant memory loss after the event. 

“Many clients who have been accessing needle exchanges – particularly within the north - are presenting heavily sedated, poor motor skills and incoherent. “ says the Ayrshire alert.

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Scottish drugs deaths reach record level

7 August 2008

DRUG-related deaths in Scotland in 2007 hit their highest ever level - and have more than doubled in 10 years, according to figures published today. 

The  2007 drugs deaths figures, compiled by the General Register Office for Scotland, (GROS) show that there were 455 drug-related deaths in 2007 - an eight percent increase on the 2006 figure of 421, and up by 231 deaths (103 per cent) on the 1997 figures.

The number of drug-related deaths rose in eight of the past ten years and the long-term trend seems steadily upwards, according to GROS.

Deaths among older users also continue to be a significant concern.

Trends over the last five years are showing deaths rising faster for the over 35s compared to 25-34 year olds, although deaths of people aged under 25 are falling.

Five year average trends for 2003-2007, compared to 1996-2000, are also showing:

• marked rises in deaths involving heroin and/or morphine, cocaine and alcohol, and a marked fall in deaths involving temazepam
• male deaths increasing faster than female deaths - 86 per cent of the 2007 deaths were of men
• the Health Board areas with the largest increases in the number of drug-related deaths were Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Forth Valley and Ayrshire and Arran.

The figures for 2007 show:

• one third of deaths were among 25-34 year olds, and a further third were of 35-44 year olds
• heroin and/or morphine were involved in 289 (64 per cent) of deaths
• methadone was involved in 114 (25 per cent)
• diazepam was involved in 79 (17 per cent)
• cocaine was involved in 47 deaths
• the presence of alcohol was mentioned in 157 cases

Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said the Scottish Goverment was "naturally disappointed" at the figures - and warned that figures could rise in the short-term until the newly-published Scottish drugs strategy has an impact.

He said: "I am confident many of the changes it proposes will have a positive impact in reducing drug-related deaths. It sets out a clear course of action to see more people recover from problem drug use as active and law-abiding members of society.

“For two decades Scotland has been in the grip of drugs – reacting and responding to the impact they have had on our people, our public services, and our economic potential. This strategy is about taking control of our lives again – as individuals and as a nation. 

                                       progress 

“It will take months and years to achieve and the scourge of drugs will not disappear overnight.  But if the Government shows leadership, forges consensus and is clear about delivery then I am confident we can make real progress in the years ahead.

"In the short-term these figures may continue to rise – partly because of the cumulative effects of abuse on older drug users –  but that doesn’t mean we should sit back and accept it.

“We have also drawn up a new action plan specifically aimed at tackling drug-related deaths, based on far-reaching recommendations from experts in the field and service users.

“And recommendations made by the National Forum on Drug-Related Deaths in their first annual report are being taken forward as a matter of urgency.

“We are also pursuing the action points from ‘Equally Well’ the report of the Ministerial task force on health inequalities, many of which are highly relevant to groups of people most at risk of dying from drug-related deaths.” 

David Liddell, Director of Scottish Drugs Forum, said:

“We have a huge drugs problem in Scotland, with many services overwhelmed by demand for treatment and support. There are also huge obstacles to overcoming underlying factors such as poverty, social breakdown and the difficulty of accessing quality training and employment opportunities for people trying to avoid or move on from a drug problem.

“The Scottish Government’s new drugs strategy is driving massive changes to the way we approach our terrible drugs problem. It is a highly ambitious plan of action which will demand various agencies to change the way they work. It is vital that they also have the energy, vision and appropriate resources to see it through.

“The fact that deaths among people aged over 35 are rising faster than ever underlines the need to target help and encouragement to older users so they develop hope and confidence that they can stop being damaged by drugs.  

“That is why the Scottish Government’s support for Scottish Drugs Forum’s (SDF) participation in a European-wide research project to look into the specific care and support needs of older drug users is so crucial. 

"Its funding for SDF’s programme of training to equip more people to step in with life-saving help at overdose scenes is also very important.”