Press Release

Page last updated: 29-SEP-2004

Press Release

Wednesday 29th September 2004 (0930 h)
Update of statistics from the Scottish Drug Misuse Database
– new clients/patients attending services in connection with their misuse of drugs
Information Services (ISD Scotland), today published the above statistics at the following web address:

http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/04dmss/ remote_icon.gif
 
 
Points of interest:
  • There was an 8 per cent rise in the number of new* individuals reported to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) from 11 691 individuals in 2002/03 to 12 657 individuals in 2003/04.
  • In the under 20 age group, there has been an increase in the percentage of individuals who report that they have never injected, 57 per cent in 1999/00, 62 per cent in 2002/03 and 72 per cent in 2003/04.
  • There was a 4 per cent fall in the number of individuals who reported that they had injected in the month prior to seeking treatment from 41 per cent in 2002/03 to 37 per cent in 2003/04.
  • In 2003/04, 34 per cent of current injectors reported that they shared needles/ syringes in the previous month (34% in 1999/00 and 33% in 2002/03). Forty-nine per cent of current injectors reported that they shared spoons/water/filters/solutions in the previous month (48% in 2002/03).
Of those individuals reporting illicit drug use:
  • There has been a fall in the proportion of those reporting use of heroin from 76 per cent in 2002/03 (7 968 individuals) to 71 per cent in 2003/04 (7 813 individuals).
  • There has been a small rise in reported use of cocaine from 7 per cent in 2002/03 (756 individuals) to 8 per cent in 2003/04 (917 individuals).  Although the percentage of those reporting use of crack cocaine between 2002/03 and 2003/04 remains unchanged at 3 per cent, there has been a small rise in the number of individuals (312 and 382 individuals respectively).

    *New is defined as never before attended or not attended during the previous six months


    Note
    This publication presents the latest available information from the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD). The SDMD, established in 1990 at ISD Scotland, gathers information from most specialist drug services and from a number of general practitioners. The information presented relates to new patients/clients attending at services. As such these statistics do not reflect the total number of drug misusers seen by services during 2003/4.


    Background

    1 -     This is an ISD Scotland National Statistics release. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and adhere to codes of practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

    2 - ISD Scotland is part of the Common Services Agency and has a primary role in supporting NHS Scotland and other associated organisations on information matters. Within ISD the Drug Misuse Information Strategy Team, as part of the Substance Misuse Programme, carries out work on behalf of the Scottish Executive and local Drug and Alcohol Teams and their constituent organizations. For more information about ISD Scotland see the ISD Scotland website:

    http://www.isdscotland.org/

    3 - The Drug Misuse Information Strategy Team, who produced this publication, are part of the Substance Misuse Programme of Information Services (ISD).
     The team:
    • provides information support to Drug Action Teams, Local Authorities, NHS Boards, specialist drug services, the Scottish Executive and others;
    • manages the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD), and ensures the effective and appropriate exploitation of other relevant data collected by ISD.
    • develops expertise in the use of available data to produce robust performance and activity indicators to monitor the impact of national and local policies; and
    • supports the research and analytical work of other organisations, subject to general priorities and ethical and legal considerations.


      For further information contact :

      Dr Lesley Graham, Programme Principal,
      Substance Misuse Programme,
      ISD Scotland
      tel 0131 275 6322
      e-mail: lesley.graham@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

Main contact: Email Martin Krievs