A mum who has battled addiction for decades claims Scotland’s drug death crisis will continue as long as people are cut off from essential wrap-around care. ‌

Lesley Crichton, 43, witnessed a friend die when she was a teenager and has witnessed the death rate go through the roof in the 26 years she has lived with a dependency. ‌

She says that doors remain closed to people seeking access to counselling and treatment, including rehab. ‌

And she believes that means there are many more overdose deaths than there should be. The new statistics for 2024 by national Records of Scotland state there were 1,017 deaths - down 13% on the previous year but still the worst rate in Europe.

Lesley is now on Buvidal, a slower release opiate replacement therapy that she does not need to take every

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