A report into drug-related deaths in Scotland has ignited the debate surrounding the use of methadone in addiction treatment.
Statistics from the information services division have revealed that methadone was implicated in or potentially contributed to 47% of the 584 drug-related deaths reported by the National Records of Scotland in 2011.
Politicians have voiced their concerns over the increase in fatalities linked to the heroin substitute but remain split over whether it should be removed from addiction services.
Scottish Conservative Chief Whip John Lamont said: “This increase in the number of deaths is extremely worrying. What’s particularly alarming is the prevalence of methadone in so many of these cases.
“A substance originally given out to wean people off drug addiction has now become a major contributor in so many unnecessary deaths.”
The drug most frequently found to be present in the body at death was diazepam (81.4%), followed by methadone (57.3%).
The report, however, also showed that there was more than one drug present in 97% of deaths.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP said: “Methadone continues to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Combined with needle exchange and other programmes, it has saved many lives.
“There are a multitude of reasons for the increase in deaths, including the heroin drought which led to an increase in dangerous polydrug misuse experimentation.
“This is not a time for a hysterical over-reaction but for a continued calm and evidence-based approach to what is a deep-rooted problem that shatters lives.”
Scottish Labour’s MSP Lewis Macdonald, said: “It is important to remember that these figures represent a death and, in almost half the cases, it is a parent who has died.
“While methadone is a valuable way of stabilising drug use, it can’t be seen to be the only solution for drug addiction.
“We need to crack down on the abuse of methadone in our communities.”