Why is Naloxone used in policing?

Over the past 20 years, Scotland has seen a rise in social harm associated with alcohol and drug use. The number of drug related deaths in 2020 increased by 5% compared to the previous year (1,264 in 2019 to 1,339 in 2020). 87% of these deaths were related to opioid overdose. This figure represents the highest number since records began in 1996, and is double the amount of deaths 10 years prior (in 2009, 545 drug-related deaths were recorded).

Notably, deaths associated with heroin and morphine use reached the highest numbers yet in 2019. Many have called for a public health response to Scotland’s drug use “crisis” to tackle this growing area of concern. In July 2019, The Scottish Government established a Drugs Death Taskforce to address the rising number of deaths.

Following this, Police Scotland convened the Naloxone Delivery Steering Group on 12 March 2020. The Group aims to directly respond to the increase of recorded opioid overdoses and to understand the community benefits of frontline police officers carrying Naloxone.