Campaigners have warned of a new tsunami of overdose deaths as the cost of living crisis bites.

Annemarie Ward, CEO of the FAVOR UK charity, said Scotland must redouble its focus on the national emergency.

“There could be a new tsunami of extra deaths due to overdoses as the poorest communities gets squeezed, as usual, worse than the rest of society.

“That’s why we cannot, as a society, start to look the other way when we still have the highest drug deaths in Europe.

Ward said the conference in Glasgow had shown a dedicated hardcore of experts with lived experience of drugs are ready to give their all to combat the problem.

But she said more cash should be given to such groups, which she claims are being edged out of the debate by the Scottish Government.

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