The deadly new drugs making Scotland's fight against addiction even harder
Scotland is facing an escalating drug crisis driven by the influx of potent synthetic opioids like nitazenes. Authorities report that organized crime groups are increasingly mixing these substances into the illicit drug supply, leading to higher overdose risks.
Why it matters
The rise of synthetic drugs presents a major public health challenge, as these substances are often more lethal and harder to regulate than traditional illicit drugs.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids often sold as heroin
Scotland editor Published 19 September 2026 Updated 2 hours ago Efforts to bring down Scotland's sky-high rate of drug deaths are being frustrated by the arrival of hundreds of powerful new synthetic substances that experts warn are making the deadly drugs crisis even more dangerous.
In the past three years, there has been an explosion in the supply of new synthetic cannabinoids and opioids, transforming the illicit drugs trade and increasing the risk of fatal overdoses.
Annual figures to be released on Wednesday are expected to show a rise in the number of drug-related deaths in Scotland, which already has an unenviable record as the drugs death capital of Europe.
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