{"id":903289,"date":"2026-09-24T03:56:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T03:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/903289\/"},"modified":"2026-09-24T03:56:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T03:56:23","slug":"calls-for-more-life-saving-naloxone-kits-to-reverse-opioid-overdoses-amid-contaminated-drugs-supply-fears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/903289\/","title":{"rendered":"Calls for more life-saving naloxone kits to reverse opioid overdoses amid contaminated drugs supply fears"},"content":{"rendered":"

People are losing their lives in Scotland because of an increase in contaminated drugs supply.<\/p>\n

Often called nita-zenes, the lab-made substances are mixed into street drugs and can be much stronger than heroin, causing a high risk of overdose.<\/p>\n

With drug deaths expected to rise again this year, one charity is calling for more people to learn how to use life-saving naloxone kits.<\/p>\n

Andy Brown spent 30 years trapped in a cycle of addiction and understands just how important naloxone is to reverse an opioid overdose.<\/p>\n

He told STV News: \u201cI actually went into hospital, well woke up in the hospital, and the doctors, somebody had to administer naloxone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have had to administer it quite a few times to different people over the years. A few times I didn\u2019t know how to use it and that resulted in somebody dying in my arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got trained as soon as I learned what it was and how it could help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndySTV NewsAndy Brown is determined to help others STV News<\/p>\n

Now in recovery, Andy is determined to help others struggling with addiction and show the support that is available.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that I\u2019ve got a lot to offer in life, and I\u2019m doing a lot of different things to try to better myself to make up for lost time.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the latest drug death figures are set to be released, after 1,017 people died due to drug misuse in Scotland in 2024.<\/p>\n

The figure is expected to rise due to the growing threat of drugs like synthetic opioids, with people often buying a street drug unaware it\u2019s contaminated.<\/p>\n

\"FraserSTV NewsFraser Hoggan says the drugs crisis \u2018is the worst we\u2019ve seen\u2019 STV News<\/p>\n

Fraser Hoggan from Alcohol and Drugs Action said: \u201cI think this is the worst we\u2019ve seen, it\u2019s not to say that it couldn\u2019t get even more worse but it certainly feels like this is the worst we\u2019ve seen, certainly in my experience in 30 years we\u2019ve not seen anything quite like this before and fortunately having naloxone and having services that are available is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simon Rayner, from Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, added: \u201cAbsolutely tiny amounts of those substances can cause a fatality very, very quickly, so it\u2019s really scary and that\u2019s one of the reasons that we were really keen that people understand that naloxone is available and is an effective way of reversing an overdose from those types of substances.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Scottish Government says the number of naloxone kits distributed is increasing and that its widening access to treatment and residential rehabs.<\/p>\n

The annual statistics on drug related deaths are to be released on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

STV News is now on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

Get all the latest news from around the country<\/p>\n

Follow STV News <\/a>Follow STV News on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country<\/p>\n

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