Drug Misuse: opiate and benzodiazepine misuse

The group of drug users who are most likely to experience health and social problems are those who misuse opiates (primarily heroin) and/or benzodiazepines (tranquillisers). It is this group who are also most vulnerable to acquiring communicable diseases (such as HIV and hepatitis primarily through sharing injecting equipment), committing crimes or entering prison.

It is estimated, that there were around 51,582 people in Scotland who were using opiates and/or benzodiazepines problematically in 2003, down from 55,800 in 2000 (Hay et al (2005)). The decline is a statistically significant change at the 90% level. This represents a fall from 1.96% of the population aged between 15 and 54 years to 1.84% of the population.

The map below shows the estimated prevalence of problem drug use in Scotland, among 15 to 54 year olds, by council area in 2003 (prevalence is expressed as a percentage of the population). The highest prevalence is in the major urban centres (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen), Dumfries and Galloway, and southern Ayrshire. Over recent years there has been an apparent diffusion of high prevalence away from urban centres into semi-urban areas (Hay et al (2005)).

Estimated prevalence of problem drug use in Scotland among 15 to 54 year olds by council area, 2003 (Source: Hay et al (2005))