National Records of Scotland recorded 1133 drug-related deaths in 2025, 116 more than in 2024, leaving Scotland with the highest such rate in Europe. Nitazenes, synthetic opioids far more potent than heroin, were implicated in 247 deaths (22%), more than three times the 2024 count, with etonitazene alone linked to 215. NRS notes that etonitazene entered routine postmortem testing only in May 2025.
Why it is interesting: Documents a measured shift in the opioid supply towards nitazenes, while flagging that improved toxicology partly drives the apparent jump.