People in the “Trainspotting generation” are most likely to die from drug misuse, after a sharp rise in deaths among 40- to 49-year-olds last year, official statistics show.
Charities report that many people who started using heroin in the 80s and 90s are still addicted to the drug.
The number of drug poisoning deaths, which includes those involving legal and illegal drugs, also continued to rise and hit a record high (3,744).
People aged 20-29 had the highest mortality rate until 2003 when they were overtaken by 30- to 39 year-olds.