Why has Scotland got such a huge drug problem?

Mostly They take them for fun, I bet you have no sympathy for drunks

Probably cos it's such a grim place to live with nothing else to do all day, it's the only way to get through life!😂

I’ve got sympathy for young people, some from the age of about nine, who are drawn into drug taking. Once hooked, it’s not at all easy for them to break the habit. I don’t think they have a clue what they are letting themselves in for when they are young.

Free market neoliberalism.

The best advice I ever heard was “don’t try drugs. You might find you like them.”

Kandinsky

Yes it’s desperately sad.
I know we’ll never be able to help absolutely everyone, but many drug users have had traumatic experiences or abusive childhoods, often both.

And surely this is where the real problem lies.

It is both necessary and right to help those who have become addicted, but more should be done to prevent them from ever starting either taking drugs or drinking too much alcohol.

These days no-one seems to remember that prevention is better than a cure.

It will be a long haul to stop the drug problem that started during or just after the first world war and I do not know whether it would pay best to increase punishment for drug dealers, or to start massive programmes to detect drug abusers as early as possible, or to improve housing, try to get as many as possible into decent housing and jobs, or what else could and should be done.

But simply directing money to help the addicted is much the same as putting a piece of sticking plaster on a cut. It may help the individual, but it will not solve the nation-wide problem.

Scotland, particularly Glasgow has quite a large East European population Romanian and others including undocumented migrants. In other areas it's the East European gangs that run the drugs supply, probably the councils are too busy being PC to have time to tackle the drug problem.

monami

Help, how can we help, it's their
Choice let them get on with it

That's a callous response monami.
You may not care, but reading the above posts should give you some idea of the immense difficulties faced by families in Scotland.
Possibly a little empathy for the high level of drug-related fatalities might be hopef for.

Are you saying David49 that there was no drug problem in Glasgow until the Eastern Europeans came?

David49

Scotland, particularly Glasgow has quite a large East European population Romanian and others including undocumented migrants. In other areas it's the East European gangs that run the drugs supply, probably the councils are too busy being PC to have time to tackle the drug problem.

The drugs trade in Glasgow is primarily run by indigenous Scottish organised crime groups (OCGs). Home grown Scottish crime families.
Some outsourcing to other groups too.

It's education that's needed. Fed up with all the excuses of poverty being the cause. Start young to educate the dangers, where their money goes when buying drugs, the long term affects on the user and their family. There is also the alcohol problem, and that should have a lot more government money involved as much more difficult and dangerous for addicts to withdraw without proper supervision.Drugs are not pleasant withdrawals but not so dangerous.

Maybe an unpopular opinion but I think a lot of its genetic. My family are Scots and Irish going back generations. Addiction is rife in my family. We don't live in Scotland anymore as we left as my dad had to find work in England so we didn't have a strong outside influence from Scotland growing up. We have 6 immediate with addictions siblings and nieces nephews, drink and drugs. My father was also an alcoholic. We didn't have drink in the house my mother wouldn't allow it but my dad was drunk when he wasn't at work. His family drank a lot some alcoholics , my mother's family drank a lot too irish but I don't know if many alcoholics. Where I was brought up there was a lot of different families Scots, Irish, Welsh and some others but the Scots were well known to be drunks and alcoholics. I can think of 3 families now that the dad was Scots and the dad was what we'd class as an alcoholic nowadays. I think it's an addiction gene that a lot of Scots and to a lesser degree Irish have got and it's culturally accepted to drink a lot so it's not so obvious. Obviously now drugs are easily available those with a gene that predisposes them to Addiction are going to get addicted. I'm not saying all Scots but I think there's a lot with the gene. Add in seeing their parents Addiction, abuse from parents Addiction, lack of money and jobs and you have the perfect storm. I also think there's a strong genetic link to depression too.

Maremia

Are you saying David49 that there was no drug problem in Glasgow until the Eastern Europeans came?

If that was the case where did Irvin Welsh get the inspiration for Train Spotting in 1996.

Please look at Anyoneschild.org
If you are concerned about this. Thankyou

You.make a very point Hufferlump
I listened to a radio programme a few weeks ago, scientists think they have made a significant discovery re addictive personalities. Although they were talking mostly about gambling they thought it could apply to other addictions too.
I don't remember all the details but they think it is to do with 2 parts of the brain (can't remember which) but the gist of it was they have 2 pathways, one of them is over-riding the connecting pathway, which they believe can possibly treat addiction in a very different and effective way. Wish I could remember more of it. Maybe someone else on here might know more.

Slightly off post, but a couple of days ago there was an article online about ketamine bladder. Sorry, forget the source.
Awful symptoms, affecting mainly girls around 13, from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Did anyone else read this?

Plevey, that would be good.

It would be a godsend Maremia.
I think I have heard about young women arriving in A&E with complete loss of bladder control. I didn't know it was ketamine, but it makes sense.

This article was published one year ago on 1st September 2025

It addresses OP's question "Why has Scotland got such a huge drug problem?" It gives various suggestions as to the cause, including the dire lack of funding from 2015-21 that l mentioned earlier.

Scottish drug deaths fall but remain worst in Europe - BBC News share.google/aM8VoLsShp5WsIFaj

Plevey08

You.make a very point Hufferlump
I listened to a radio programme a few weeks ago, scientists think they have made a significant discovery re addictive personalities. Although they were talking mostly about gambling they thought it could apply to other addictions too.
I don't remember all the details but they think it is to do with 2 parts of the brain (can't remember which) but the gist of it was they have 2 pathways, one of them is over-riding the connecting pathway, which they believe can possibly treat addiction in a very different and effective way. Wish I could remember more of it. Maybe someone else on here might know more.

I'm obviously not a scientist but it makes sense. That would explain why in families some are more prone to addiction and not others if they've had the same up bringing. My sister try as she might cant stop drinking. She successfully came off heroin but now has a addiction to drink. She's losing everyone but cant stop herself . She's been in addiction programmes , is not near any other addicts but still cant stop. She is a fantastic mum when sober but horrible when drunk. I've also noticed that certain genetics looks wise seem to be passed on with the addiction. The blue eyes with lighter hair. I'm not saying I'm right it's just what I've observed in my own family. But it would make sense if certain characteristics or temperments can be passed down why not tendencies towards things. Scotlands gene pool is getting more diverse now maybe it might dilute it. Hopefully.

Plevey08

You.make a very point Hufferlump
I listened to a radio programme a few weeks ago, scientists think they have made a significant discovery re addictive personalities. Although they were talking mostly about gambling they thought it could apply to other addictions too.
I don't remember all the details but they think it is to do with 2 parts of the brain (can't remember which) but the gist of it was they have 2 pathways, one of them is over-riding the connecting pathway, which they believe can possibly treat addiction in a very different and effective way. Wish I could remember more of it. Maybe someone else on here might know more.

I have 2 friends who are ex addicts.
One of them, alcohol.
The other one has taken more or less every drug going and at the same time an alcoholic. This one was an addict for 20 years.
Both have replaced these addictions with completely harmless addictions.
It’s not rocket science. Some people have an addictive personality.

OldFrill

This article was published one year ago on 1st September 2025

It addresses OP's question "Why has Scotland got such a huge drug problem?" It gives various suggestions as to the cause, including the dire lack of funding from 2015-21 that l mentioned earlier.

Scottish drug deaths fall but remain worst in Europe - BBC News share.google/aM8VoLsShp5WsIFaj

That makes for sobering reading.

@petra I agree that some have addictive personalities. I just think that in a lot of addicts that it's genetic. Some personality disorders can be caused by upbringing and have no or a very small genetic component.

I agree with what you are saying. And the observations you have made in your family.
My father had schizophrenia and was a compulsive gamble....not a good combination when bringing up 5 children. I also have a niece with Bipolar and a GD with autism..There are apparently connections there. My niece's Consultant, in Holland asked her if anyone in the family had schizophrenia,as there is a link.
She did well your sister with getting off heroin. Maybe there's hope with the alcohol.

Hope they keep researching, and making progress.