Labour leader criticises government over increasing costs for students

This is from Julie Ramsay, head of demographic statistics at National Records of Scotland, on today’s figures showing a year-on-year fall in drug deaths. (See 9.49am.)

While drug misuse deaths have been rising over the last two decades, with a particularly sharp increase after 2013, today’s statistics show the biggest year on year decrease since the series began.

The statistics provide some insight into the people who are most likely to die from drug misuse.

My sympathy goes out to all those affected by the loss of a loved one through drugs.

While I am pleased to see that hundreds of families have been spared this agony and lives have been saved, every life lost is a tragedy and the number of deaths is still too high.