This briefing provides an update on the work of the Taskforce over the last 12 months, in response to the tragic rise in drug related deaths and our plan for the final year of the Taskforce.

In January 2021 the Scottish Government announced a National Mission to reduce Scotland's unacceptable drug death rates. Part of this commitment is to improve data and surveillance. This report is published quarterly and focusses on management information from Police Scotland on suspected drug deaths, to provide as timely an indication of current trends in drug deaths in Scotland as is possible. Statistics from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) are also presented for wider context.to be a general upward trend over the period for which data is available. Police Scotland management information gives an indication of recent trends in drug deaths in Scotland based on reports from police officers. A suspected drug death is based on an officer’s observations and initial enquiries at the scene of death. The number of suspected drug deaths during the first six months of 2021 was 722, a similar level to the first six months of 2020 where 731 suspected drug deaths were recorded. From the months of July to September 2021, there were 285 suspected drug deaths, 13% (44) fewer than the previous calendar quarter (April to June 2021), and 10% (31) fewer than during the same calendar quarter in the previous year (July to September 2020).