Every drug death is “a tragedy”, according to South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth.

Statistics released this week showed 37 drug misuse deaths in Dumfries and Galloway in 2022, compared to 35 in 2021. The figure recorded in 2015 was 11.

Across Scotland, there were 1,051 deaths in 2022, a drop from 1,330 in 2021.

Commenting on the latest figures, Colin Smyth said: “Every single drug death is a tragedy and we should never forget that behind each of these figures is a person whose life has been cut far too short and a family who have lost a loved one.

“The figures for Dumfries and Galloway have bucked the national trend by actually increasing from 2021 to 2022, which highlights just how much work still needs to be done.

“Cuts in funding for rehab a few years ago are still taking a heavy toll, and just with any disease, we urgently need to see more investment to treat what is ultimately a health crisis.

“Unless we tackle the underlying causes of this disease such as poverty, poor housing, and the shocking education attainment gap, then we will fail to get to grips on the crisis.”