Drug deaths human toll revealed as Jacquie, 34, tells how she lost her whole family

Scotland has shamefully now been named the of the world.

New figures recorded a total of 1187 deaths in 2018 - up 27 per cent from 2017’s record total.

There were more deaths in every single measured category.

And at the heart of every one of those grim statistics is a human tragedy and family trauma.

Jacquie is a recovering addict after taking her first dose of heroin aged 17 (BBC)

Jacquie from Glenrothes knows all too well the total devastation drugs can inflict on families.

The 34-year-old’s father, mother, two sisters and brother all died because of drugs.

Jacquie, who is a recovering addict after taking her first dose of heroin aged 17, said it “was like a fire ripping through” her family.

Jacquie's parents Thomas and Margaret both died due to drugs (BB Scotland)

She told BBC Scotland: “I feel my life has been ruined. People could say that has been my fault – I can understand that with the drugs side.

“I can’t help the fact that I’ve lost all my family to drugs.”

The family’s grief started in 2005, when Jacquie’s dad Thomas died aged 40 at a property in Glenrothes. His death was attributed to “adverse effects of heroin”.

Two years later, a morphine overdose killed Jacquie’s sister Kayleigh, who was just 21.

In 2010, “adverse effects of opiates” resulted in their mother Margaret’s death. She was 44.

In May last year, Jacquie’s brother Colin, 37, was found dead at a house in Glenrothes. A “multi-drug intoxication” was to blame.

Just five months later, a concoction of diazepam and methadone killed her second sister Emma, 29.

Jacquie, who has been taking methadone for 15 years, added: “My dad was only on it four years and he committed suicide with heroin.

“My mum was just the same – she started with Tramadol and it led to her taking lines here and there.

Jacquie's siblings Colin, Kayleigh (C) and Emma all lost their lives after taking different substances (BBC Scotland)

“I would take diazepam, any downer really, any sleeping tablets or suppressant. It would help with the buzz, to block out everything that was going on in life. With losing all my family, I couldn’t cope.”

Jacquie wants to keep the conversation going on how drugs can affect families.

She said: “I just want people to see that we are still a family. We are not animals, monsters or whatever people would call a family of heroin users.”