600 kids lose their parent to drugs in one year

Hundreds of children left bereaved amid national substance abuse deaths crisis

- CHRIS MCCALL

A DAMNING report on Scotland's drugs death crisis has revealed the "devastating" impact on families with 600 kids losing a parent in a year.

Public health experts examined deaths between 2019 and 2020.

The findings published yesterday found over half lived in the country's most deprived areas, while two-thirds of victims were in contact with a service that could have helped address their drug use.

It also found 602 children lost a parent or a parental figure as a result of the crisis.

Scottish Labour questioned if existing rehab services were equipped to deal with the numbers looking for support.