The Scottish Government has announced over £2 million in funding to support women affected by substance use and prevent drug misuse among young people.
The investment was revealed by Minister for Drugs Policy Maree Todd during a statement to the Scottish Parliament, following the latest National Records of Scotland statistics showing a 13% decrease in drug-related deaths, down to 1,017 in the past year.
Recognising the unique challenges faced by women who use drugs, the government has allocated:
- £1.1 million to Aberlour Children’s Charity for perinatal support and recovery services
- £750,000 via the Corra Foundation to improve access to services for women affected by substance use in Glasgow
These initiatives aim to provide tailored, trauma-informed support to women and families, helping break the cycle of addiction and improve long-term outcomes.
Commenting on the investment, Todd said:
“I want to express my deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the 1,017 people who lost their lives to drugs in 2024.
“Our National Mission on Drugs has delivered a number of positive developments, including widening access to life-saving naloxone kits to reverse overdoses and creating more residential rehabilitation beds. It is welcome that we have seen progress with the number of deaths at the lowest level since 2017, but these tragic drug deaths figures remind us, however, that there is much more to do.
“To that end, we are providing record funding of more than £160 million for alcohol and drugs in 2025-26. We will also accelerate the delivery of new initiatives, such as the drug checking pilot project. And subject to the Scottish Parliament’s agreement, we will be maintaining funding beyond next year to address harm caused by drugs and intensively support recovery.
“While there is nothing we can do to bring back those whose lives have been so tragically cut short, nor to ease the unimaginable grief that their loved-ones must feel, we will continue to do all we can to end the devastating impacts of drugs in Scotland.”
The ‘Winning Scotland’s Planet Youth’ initiative has been awarded £750,000 to continue creating environments that support young people in making healthy choices. The NRS data shows a promising decline in drug-related deaths among under-25s, with 34 deaths last year compared to 58 in 2023.
This funding supports the government’s wider commitment to early intervention, community-based support, and reducing health inequalities across Scotland.
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