DESPAIR AS DRUG DEATH TOLL SPIKES

607 lives lost in first half of year following synthetic opioids surge

- BY MARK MCGIVERN

SCOTLAND'S drug death epidemic has worsened despite Scottish Government action.

Police Scotland stats showed a three per cent rise from January to the end of June compared to the same period last year. It backs up a Daily Record investigation in July, when addicts reported a surge in deaths due to synthetic opioids known as nitazenes.

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie MSP said the rise of nitazene use was blunting efforts to turn the tide of overdose deaths, which mark Scotland as the worst affected nation in Europe.