Deaths related to Drink and drugs have seen a 20% increase from last year.

Some facts :

• There was 584 related deaths in 2011
• 1 in 100 deaths last year were related to drugs
• Cocaine and ecstasy  where involved in 36

Community safety minister Roseanna Cunningham said ‘every drugs-related death was a “tragedy” as she pledged the Scottish Government would continue work to tackle the problem.’

The minister insisted Scotland was “leading the way in recovery and developing innovative ways of supporting hard-to-reach groups in to recovery”.

The minister vowed ’We will continue to work closely with the independent group of experts National Forum for Drug Related Deaths and partners from the voluntary, statutory, policy and academic fields to tackle the number of drug-related deaths.’