Drug deaths rise sharply in Scotland as figures remain worst in Europe
When comparing Scotland with the rest of Europe, NRS measures the death rate among 15-64 year olds – which was 277 per million in 2025.
The next highest rate in Europe was Estonia with 112 deaths per million in 2024, the most recent year for which figures are available from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA).
Scotland’s death rate in 2024 was 246 per million.
NRS says its methodology produces “similar” outcomes to EUDA’s count of “drug-induced deaths”, with the caveat that the two methods use slightly different lists of drugs.
When comparing Scotland with the rest of the UK, NRS uses a wider measure of age-adjusted drug poisoning deaths.
This includes all deaths where the underlying cause was listed as mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance abuse or poisoning by drugs whether accidental, intentional, of unknown intent or as a result of assault.
The most recent comparable data are for 2024 and show that Scotland had an age-adjusted death rate of 216 per million compared with 91 for England, 140 for Wales and 135 for Northern Ireland.
