Nitazenes linked to rise in Scotland’s drug-related deaths
Scotland recorded 1,133 drug-related deaths in 2025, an increase of 116, or 11%, from the previous year, according to National Records of Scotland figures reported by The Guardian. The report said nitazenes, a powerful synthetic opioid present in the illicit drug market, contributed to the increase.
Scotland recorded 1,133 drug-related deaths in 2025, 116 more than in the previous year, according to figures from National Records of Scotland reported by The Guardian. The increase amounted to 11%, with nitazenes identified in the report as a contributing factor. The substances are described as a new type of powerful synthetic opioid found in Scotland’s illicit drug market.
The 2025 total was the sixth highest on record, the report said. The available material does not provide a breakdown of deaths by substance, age, location or other demographic categories. It also does not state how many of the fatalities involved nitazenes, how the substances entered the illicit market or what measures authorities are taking in response to their presence.
The figures show a substantial rise in drug-related deaths after the previous year, while the reported link to nitazenes points to the role of potent synthetic opioids in the latest increase. No additional analysis was included in the supplied material.
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