Xanax a factor in more North East deaths than ever before
NHS Grampian figures show there were 29 drug deaths last year - up from 11 the year before
Prescription tranquiliser Xanax has been identified as a cause in a “soaring” number of drug deaths in the north-east.
Figures released by NHS Grampian have revealed the drug was found to play a part in 29 deaths in 2017 – and 20 in the last six months of the year alone.
That was a near-three-fold increase from 2016, when there were 11 deaths where the drug was found in toxicology reports.
In 2015, there were fewer than five deaths connected to the medication, with zero in 2014 and 2013.
The information was provided in response to a freedom of information request from the Scottish Conservatives, lodged following reports of a national surge in deaths related to alprazolam.
The anti-anxiety medication is a Class C drug in the UK, but is very popular in the US. It can be lethal when mixed with alcohol or opiates and was found to play a part in the accidental deaths of singer Whitney Houston, actor Heath Ledger and model Anna Nicole Smith.
NHS Grampian issued a health warning after the rise in deaths in the north-east linked to the use of the drug, but the actual figures have not been disclosed until now.
Tom Mason, Scottish Conservative MSP for the north-east region, said:
“It is clear from these figures that deaths related to the use of Alprazolam are soaring in the north-east of Scotland.
“This should serve as a serious warning to anyone who is mixing what may seem like a relatively harmless drug with alcohol or opiates.
“This cocktail of medication can be fatal and it is right that NHS Grampian has issued a warning to the public.
“Drug support agencies have said that counterfeit Xanax is sold on the black market, where the strength and quality can vary. There have also been reports in the media that use of Alprazolam is prevalent among teenagers and casual drug users.
“Parents and young people must be very aware of the potential consequences and risk of overdose.
“There is an urgent need for local health boards and other government agencies to educate the public and raise awareness of the very serious dangers of using this drug.