02/02/2026
Public health alert ⚠️ Our chief executive has been highlighting this concern for a number of years please read the statement below.
Scotland’s drug market has fundamentally shifted. The substances people believe they are using are often no longer what they are actually consuming.
Across communities, services, and health data, the street supply is now dominated by synthetic substances, not traditional he**in, co***ne, or pharmaceutical medications as previously understood.
This means:
“Cocaine” rarely contains co***ne
“Heroin” rarely contains he**in
Benzodiazepines frequently involve synthetic compounds such as bromazolam
Prescribed medications including pregabalin and gabapentin now appear in the illicit supply
Cannabis vapes are often synthetic chemical products rather than THC
These synthetic substances are:
Highly unpredictable in composition
Significantly more potent than traditional drugs
Associated with severe mental health impacts
Linked to cognitive decline with continued use
Driving overdose, toxicity, and drug-related deaths
The public health risks now extend beyond overdose alone. Long-term use is associated with psychological harm, neurological impact, emotional instability, psychosis, and deterioration in cognitive functioning.
This is not speculation. These trends are evidenced through:
Public health surveillance
Toxicology data
Drug-checking services
Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) reporting
Frontline service and community harm-reduction monitoring
For individuals who use drugs:
Assume contamination
Assume synthetic presence
Access harm-reduction services
Use drug-checking where available
Carry naloxone
Stay informed through trusted public health sources
Prevention begins with education.
Safety begins with awareness.
Lives are protected through accurate information, compassion, and evidence-based harm reduction.
