Dumfries and Galloway remains in the grip of a drugs crisis, Colin Smyth MSP has warned, as new statistics published this week show increases in drug related hospital admissions in the region.

For the most recent period (1 January to 31 March 2024), the number of drug-related hospital admissions varied across mainland NHS boards, compared to the previous quarter but increased by 27 per cent in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

The statistics show that the number of drug-related hospital admissions increased by 27 per cent (1 January to 31 March 2024) compared to the previous 13 weeks (41 admissions)

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “These figures really hammer home how serious a problem communities across Scotland still have with drugs.

“The figures for Dumfries and Galloway show a deeply worrying jump in drug-related hospital admissions this quarter and this reveals, like many other places in Scotland, the impact drugs have on many peoples’ lives.

“For too long, the Scottish Government took its eye off the ball on drugs with tragic and disastrous results.

“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.”