DRUG deaths in North Ayrshire have doubled in just a year.

And with 0.13 deaths per 1,000 people, the wider Ayrshire and Arran NHS area sits second behind Glasgow for the worst in Scotland.

We can reveal that the number of North Ayrshire drug deaths went from 15 in both 2014 and 2015 to 32 in 2016.

Worryingly, the problem had been relatively stable over the last decade, from a low of 11 deaths in 2013 and 2006 to a high of 19 in 2009 and 2012.

The wider Ayrshire and Arran health board area saw a similar increase, from 43 deaths in both 2014 and 2015 to 85 in 2016.

Like North Ayrshire, the figures show a relatively steady level with a high of 47 deaths in 2011 and a low of 25 deaths in 2006.

The vast majority of deaths in North Ayrshire are in the 35-44 age bracket, followed closely by the 25-34 group.

Opiates, particularly heroin, methadone and buprenorphine, were the biggest group of drugs accounting for death.

Next was benzodiazepams such as valium, with alcohol blamed for five deaths.

Ecstacy accounted for no deaths in 2016.

Minister for public health, Aileen Campbell, said the figures are in line with a general trend across the UK and Europe.

However, Scotland tops the table for drug deaths per million people at 160.

Scandinavian countries are the next highest - with Sweden at 100 deaths and Norway at 76. Lowest are eastern European nations, such as Romania (2 deaths per million) and Bulgaria (4 deaths)

Ms Campbell said: “What we are seeing is an ageing group of people who are long term drugs users. They have a pattern of addiction which is very difficult to break, and they have developed other chronic medical conditions as a result of this prolonged drugs use.”

There have been increasing reports of deaths in the Three Towns linked to fake ‘blue’ valium pills.