100 SCOTS A DAY CAUGHT WITH DRUGS; Fears over user numbers.

Byline: By Derek Alexander

POLICE catch almost 100 people in possession of illegal drugs in Scotland every day.

More than 34,500 individuals were found to be carrying ecstasy, cocaine, cannabis or other illegal substances in 2005-06.

The figure meant a rise of almost seven per cent on the previous year's total of 32,413.

Northern Constabulary had the biggest increase of 29.6 per cent.

The country's smallest police force caught 2229 people in possession of illegal drugs compared to 1720 drug users last year.

Strathclyde Police - Scotland's largest force - recorded an increase of 5.7 per cent.

Their officers caught 19,684 people with drugs, compared with 18,630 in 2004-05.

The figures, which were released i under the Freedom of Information k Act, showed that the west of Scotland has the nation's highest toll of drug abusers. Only Tayside Police saw a drop in the number of people caught.

They found 2544 people with drugs on them compared with 2608 last year - a 2.5 per cent fall.

The country's remaining five police forces also saw rises in the number of drug possessions.

Tom Wood, chairman of the Scottish Association of Alcohol and Drug Action teams, said: "The increase in the number of people caught possessing drugs is a clear indicator that more and more people are starting to dabble in recreational drugs. That is very disturbing."

The number of drug deaths in Scotland has also rocketed so far this year, with Strathclyde Police alone having to deal with 83 - 30 more than in the same period last year.