Drug-related harms in Scotland are at record levels. Drug deaths in Scotland are the highest in Europe and are several times the rate in England and Wales. The reasons for these high numbers are complex and include a number of factors such as an evolving drug supply, the use of multiple drugs at the same time and changes to treatment services. Drug harms are also closely linked to social and health inequalities – people living in more deprived areas in Scotland are significantly more likely to experience drug-related harms and deaths than those living in less deprived areas. To respond to this public health emergency, RADAR provides a structured way to collect, assess and communicate information about drugs, identifying risks quickly and informing rapid action to reduce harm and save lives.

RADAR aims to reduce the short, medium and long-term harms associated with drugs in the Scottish population by:

• identifying trends, risks and clusters of overdose and intoxication
• responding to new and emerging substances, changing harms and other relevant scenarios
• advising on and implementing immediate harm prevention and control measures
• providing high-quality current public health information
• informing decision-making about resource allocation, prevention and service design and delivery.