Drug deaths are a human rights issue says Scottish Human Rights Commission
The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has written to the First Minister following the publication of updated statistics showing an 11% rise in deaths related to illicit drugs.
The human rights watchdog says the continued scale of drug deaths in Scotland remains a serious human rights concern and is calling for a human rights based approach to tackling the crisis.
Professor Angela O'Hagan, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, said:
"Drug deaths are a human rights issue.
"Updated statistics show an 11% rise in deaths related to illicit drugs. This is devastating for the people affected, their families and communities. Death rates are persistently high in Scotland, despite policy commitments to reverse this situation.
"The Scottish Human Rights Commission has been clear that drug deaths are unacceptable and avoidable. While this is a persistent and complex issue, it is not inevitable.
"The Scottish Government has recognised the severity of the issue and committed to take further action. Any action must address the root causes as well as the symptoms of drug deaths.
"There is a clear link between deprivation and drug deaths. The Government should take a human rights based approach to designing and evaluating its plan to tackle this issue.
"We have written to the First Minister to ask for an update on how the Government is making this happen."
The SHRC has written to the First Minister seeking an update on how the Scottish Government is implementing a human rights based approach to tackling drug deaths and ensuring that action addresses the root causes of the crisis, including the relationship between deprivation and drug-related harm. The SHRC has recently raised concerns over the links between poverty and human rights in a Spotlight report, Poverty and human rights: how can human rights be used to alleviate poverty?
The SHRC has consistently highlighted that drug deaths engage a range of human rights, including the right to life and the right to the highest attainable standard of health.
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For media enquiries, contact: media@scottishhumanrights.com.
Notes to editors:
- The Scottish Human Rights Commission is Scotland's National Human Rights Institution.
- National Records of Scotland statistics published on 23 September 2026 showed an 11% increase in deaths related to illicit drugs.
- The right to life is protected under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which is incorporated into UK law under the Human Rights Act 1998. The right to the highest attainable standard of health is protected under Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- The SHRC submitted evidence to the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill in 2025, highlighting the importance of a human rights based approach to addressing drug-related harm.
- The letter has also been shared with the Conveners of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, the Health and Social Care Committee, and the Public Service Reform Committee.