COCAINE-related deaths in Scotland’s cities quadrupled in four years, shocking cop stats reveal. 

The Class A substance was linked to 139 fatalities in 2018, up from 35 in 2015 and almost double the 77 from 2017. 

The Class A substance was linked to 139 deaths in Scotland in 2018 Credit: Getty - Contributor

The toll emerged amid claims Scotland has lost the war on drugs — with one reformed addict warning the latest potent batch of coke on the nation’s streets is even more destructive than heroin and crack. 

George Sutherland, 44, was hooked on all three and jailed twice for narcotics offences. 

The ex-user, of Shotts, Lanarkshire, said: “Out of all the drugs, cocaine brought me to my knees really quickly. 

"The cocaine took me to rock bottom.  I was suicidal — it was down to coke and the comedown off it. 

“The coke that is going about now — ‘prop’ as they call it — is so strong.  It is like a different drug altogether. 

“I couldn’t leave the house, I couldn’t face anybody, because of depression. 

"I was isolated, sitting in my house with the blinds shut. 

George Sutherland says cocaine use took him to 'rock bottom'

"The younger generation look at it as the norm as everyone’s doing it.” 

Latest Police Scotland figures show Glasgow has had 138 coke-related deaths since 2015. 

Edinburgh was second with 40, Aberdeen reported 31, Dundee saw 20 and Perth had seven. 

Overall, 292 cocaine users died in Scotland over four years, with Aberdeenshire region accounting for an extra 31 and Fife 25. 

A 2018 poll revealed Scots coke users take the most in one session. 

And numbers due out this month are expected to show drug-related deaths here exceeded 1,000 last year for the first time. 

Reacting to the stats, Tory MSP Annie Wells said last night: “There can be no doubt that Scotland is losing the war on drugs. 

“The SNP haven’t been able to get a grip on this situation, with more and more lives lost to cocaine. 

"We need to offer addicts proper support and get tough on the dealers who are ruining lives.” 

Tory MSP Annie Wells Scotland needs to be tough on dealers Credit: Alamy Live News

Gareth Balmer, manager of charity Addaction Fife, urged cocaine users to get help. 

He said: “There’s a preconception people need to enter the deep waters of a crisis first and people who use cocaine often don’t consider themselves in this category.” 

Scottish Drugs Forum chief David Liddell insisted 20 of last year’s deaths involved users who had only taken cocaine or mixed it with booze. 

He claimed the remainder had used other narcotics, including heroin. 

He said: “It’s part of what seems to be a trend in drug use.” 

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie vowed to assist the Scottish Government’s new drugs taskforce. 

He said: “While enforcement act­ion alone is not enough, we’ll continue to target dealers.” 

The Scottish Sun this week told how ex-cop Jim Duffy branded the war on drugs “completely lost” and called current laws an “out-and-out failure”. 

Professor Catriona Math­eson was appointed Scotland’s drug tsar on Friday. 

Narcotics powers are reserved for Westminster. 

Jeremy McConnell: 'Cocaine is the devil, it destroys lives, I feel sick when I look at the old me'

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