Abstract
Objective
Psychoactive substances use (including alcohol) can affect risk perception, leading to accidents and deaths. There is little detailed or up-to-date information on the role of drugs in United Kingdom (UK) drownings. This Scottish case-study aimed to fill this knowledge-gap.
Methods
Anonymised data for individual drug-poisoning related drownings registered in 1996-2020 were provided by the National Records of Scotland. Statistical analyses were undertaken for socio-demographics, ICD coding, cause of death, substances implicated.
Results
Death registrations rose from 7 in 2017 to over 20 in 2019-20. These deaths (n=160) accounted for <1% of all drug-related poisoning deaths; this proportion rose to record levels (c.1.5%) in 2019-20. Most deaths (69%) involved males. Mean age was 39.8 (range 16-81, SD 15.0) years. Main drug classes implicated were: opiates/opioids (41%); benzodiazepines (31%); stimulants (19%); antidepressants (14%); 57% of benzodiazepines were ‘designer’ drugs.
Conclusions
Scottish drownings associated with drug consumption are increasing. Central nervous system depressant drugs (e.g., opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol) are often involved. ‘Designer’ benzodiazepines are a principal factor in increasing Scottish drug-related poisoning deaths; they may be partially responsible for increasing numbers of related drownings. Evidence-based strategies to further reduce the number of preventable drownings should include reference to the dangers of drugs.
Psychoactive substances use (including alcohol) can affect risk perception, leading to accidents and deaths. There is little detailed or up-to-date information on the role of drugs in United Kingdom (UK) drownings. This Scottish case-study aimed to fill this knowledge-gap.
Methods
Anonymised data for individual drug-poisoning related drownings registered in 1996-2020 were provided by the National Records of Scotland. Statistical analyses were undertaken for socio-demographics, ICD coding, cause of death, substances implicated.
Results
Death registrations rose from 7 in 2017 to over 20 in 2019-20. These deaths (n=160) accounted for <1% of all drug-related poisoning deaths; this proportion rose to record levels (c.1.5%) in 2019-20. Most deaths (69%) involved males. Mean age was 39.8 (range 16-81, SD 15.0) years. Main drug classes implicated were: opiates/opioids (41%); benzodiazepines (31%); stimulants (19%); antidepressants (14%); 57% of benzodiazepines were ‘designer’ drugs.
Conclusions
Scottish drownings associated with drug consumption are increasing. Central nervous system depressant drugs (e.g., opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol) are often involved. ‘Designer’ benzodiazepines are a principal factor in increasing Scottish drug-related poisoning deaths; they may be partially responsible for increasing numbers of related drownings. Evidence-based strategies to further reduce the number of preventable drownings should include reference to the dangers of drugs.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2217-2226 |
Journal | Current Neuropharmacology |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Aug 2022 |
Keywords
- Drowning
- Scotland
- drug-related
- intoxication
- Fatal