BACKGROUND
 
The publication is the latest annual compilation of available information on drug misuse.  The information is collected from a wide range of relevant information sources.
 
There are three main sections:

1. Services and treatment for drug misusers.  This section includes information on individuals presenting to drug treatment services and on methadone prescription statistics.
2. Health impact of drug misuse. This section includes information on inpatients and day cases discharged from general hospitals, blood-borne viruses, discharges from psychiatric hospitals, pregnancy and neonatal discharges and drug-related deaths in Scotland.
3. Drugs and criminal justice. This section includes information on drug-related offences and court proceedings, criminal justice social work and drug misuse and treatment in Scottish prisons.

 
Much of the information presented has been published previously by various different organisations.  The report publishes for the first time various ISD data including:
 
 


POINTS OF INTEREST:
 
Scottish Drug Misuse Database
 

• In 2005/06, 13,791 ?new? individuals were reported to the Scottish Drug MisuseDatabase (SDMD), a decrease of 1,207 individuals (8%) from 2004/05 (14,998 individuals).  This corresponds to a rate of 289 per 100,000 of the Scottish population
• 29% of all individuals reported that they had injected in the month prior to seeking treatment, a decrease from 38% in 2001/02. This fall is reflected in all age groups
• 27% of current injectors reported that they had shared needles/ syringes in theprevious month, the lowest percentage in the last five years
• In 2005/06, of those reporting illicit drug use, 68% reported using heroin (7,910 individuals).  This is the same percentage that reported heroin use in 2004/05 and a decrease from 77% in 2001/02
• In 2005/06, 11% of those reporting illicit drug use reported cocaine use (1,250 individuals, an increase from 8% (982) in 2004/05 and more than double the percentage reporting cocaine use in 2001/02 (5%, 549 individuals)
• Use of crack cocaine amongst those reporting illicit drug use increased from 2% (190 individuals) in 2001/02 to 3% (311 individuals) in 2002/03 and then to 4% (484 individuals) in 2005/06

 
Hospital discharges with a diagnosis of drug misuse.

• During 2005/06 there were 5,015 general acute hospital discharges with a diagnosis (main or supplementary) of drug misuse, a rate of 102 discharges per 100,000 population
• Between 2001/02 and 2004/05 the rate of discharges involving drug misuse increased from 101 discharges per 100,000 population to 109 per 100,000.  It then decreased to 102 discharges per 100,000 population in 2005/06.

 
Psychiatrc discharges with a diagnosis of drug misue.

• In 2004/05 there were 1,620 psychiatric discharges with a diagnosis of drug in Scotland (excluding NHS Fife and NHS Forth Valley), a rate of 38 per 100,000 population ).
• Over the period 2000/01 and 2004/05 for Scotland (excluding NHS Fife and NHS Forth Valley) the total number of psychiatric discharges with a diagnosis of drug misuse (main or supplementary) rose initially, from 38 per 100,000 population in 2000/01 to 40 per 100,000 population in 2002/03.  Figures then declined to 37 per 100,000 population in 2003/04.  The 2004/05 rate of 38 per 100,000 was the same as in 2000/01

 
Maternities and neonatal discharge with diagnosis of drug use.

• In 2004/05 there were 493 maternities for which drug misuse was recorded, a rate of 9.4 per 1,000 maternities 
• The rate of maternities recording drug misuse per 1,000 maternities increased rising from 4.6 per 1,000 maternities in 2000/01 to 9.4 per 1,000 maternities in 2004/05. 

 
Methadone prescriptions.

• In Scotland in 2005/06 there were 457,092 prescriptions for methadone mixture, around 90 prescriptions per 1,000 population
• Methadone prescribing rates have risen by 45% over the last five years, from 62 per 1,000 population in 2001/02 to 90 per 1,000 population in 2005/06.  Note that higher prescribing rates do not necessarily mean more volume of methadone as actual doses prescribed could be smaller

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MAIN CONTACTS:

Stephen Pavis
Assistant Head of Group
0131 275 6367
stephen.pavis@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk
 
Clare Duffy
Senior Information and Research Officer
0131 275 6228
clare.duffy@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk


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PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:
Scottish Executive


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HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:
Last Published: 14th December 2005    -    Next Due: 18th December 2007     -      Data Available Since: 1992


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RELATED RESOURCES:
Drug Treatment Waiting Times (Quarterly analysis)

Websites (with regular update service)
www.drugmisuse.isdscotlad.org.uk
www.alcoholmisuse.isdscotland.org.uk