Six men have died since March in council-owned properties – sparking fears their deaths may have been drug-related.
The shock revelation came at last Thursday's meeting of Stirling Council’s housing and environment committee.
Two of the deaths occurred in council houses, whilst the other four were in homeless accommodation. One is believed to have happened at the council’s homeless unit, Springkerse House, in Springkerse Road.
Chief housing officer Lorna Cameron told the committee meeting: “I can confirm that there have been six deaths in our accommodation since March – some in our mainstream accommodation and some in our temporary accommodation.”
She added: “At the moment we do not know the specific causes of death. To have this number of deaths in a short period of time is concerning. They are all males from early 20s to 50s – all in different types of accommodation.”
A council spokesperson later told the Observer they were investigating the causes of the deaths in 'council-run accommodation' .
“In response to this worrying development, a range of support measures have been put in place for vulnerable individuals and frontline staff,” he said.
“A multi-agency steering group, which includes Police Scotland, the NHS and third sector organisations, has also been set up to urgently look into this matter and to ensure we reach out to vulnerable groups in the wider community.
“It is uncertain whether drugs have been a contributory factor to any of these tragic deaths. However, the council would urge those using drugs to engage with addiction support services and recognise the risks involved, and we will communicate more detailed information to the public when it becomes available.”
Following the announcement, Bannockburn ward councillor Alasdair MacPherson asked whether the deaths could have been prevented. He said: “My thoughts are with the families and loved ones who have tragically died in council-owned properties.
“Given that these deaths go back weeks and that they may drug-related, I think it’s reasonable to ask if the police had highlighted these earlier could the most recent deaths have been prevented?”
Fake Valium, or ‘street’ Valium, was linked to a 43 per cent rise in the number of people in Glasgow who died of drugs overdoses between January and October last year.
Several other Scottish cities have experienced similar problems amid claims that the drugs are becoming “cheaper than chips”.
Many of the tablets are bought online, where 10,000 tablets can be bought for £800, or 8p a pill.
Valium is the brand name for diazepam, part of the benzodiazepine family of drugs that act like a sedative and are prescribed to treat anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, muscle spasms and some seizures.
Some of the fake tablets contain alternatives to diazepam, such as Etizolam, which, while producing similar effects, can be lethal if mixed with heroin or methadone.
A spokesperson for NHS Forth Valley said: “NHS Forth Valley is aware of these deaths and will be involved in further discussions to try to develop plans to prevent future deaths wherever possible.”
Chief Inspector Gill Marshall, Local Area Commander for Stirling, said: “Officers in Forth Valley continue to investigate a number of unexplained deaths in the Stirling area this month, however, until we receive medical confirmation, we are unable to comment on what the causes of death are. Those deaths where drugs are considered a contributing factor are always thoroughly investigated.
“We work jointly with our partners, including the NHS, Scottish Government, education, and Alcohol and Drug Partnerships across Forth Valley to tackle the issue of drug misuse, seeking to prevent the harm drugs can have on families and communities.
“Together with our continued enforcement activity, the public can assist us in reducing the harm drugs cause by reporting any concerns, or information, on drug misuse to us at their earliest opportunity through the 101 service, or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
