The test of change for the nasal spray – which is used as an emergency first aid response to suspected opioid or opiate-related drug overdoses – is the largest of its kind in UK policing, and has attracted significant interest from forces both in the UK and around the world. Nearly 800 officers have now completed training to use the intra-nasal spray devices, with 81 per cent volunteering to carry the kits during the trial period.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the International Overdose Awareness Day campaign, started in 2001 by The Salvation Army in Melbourne, Australia. This day is an opportunity to remember loved ones lost to overdose, emphasising that the tragedy of an overdose death lies in its preventability.

The overdose epidemic has taken a toll on far too many Americans and their loved ones. Addiction is a disease that touches families in every community, including my own. The epidemic is national, but the impact is personal. It is personal to the millions who confront substance use disorder every day, and to the families who have lost loved ones to an overdose. During Overdose Awareness Week, we recommit to taking bold actions to prevent overdoses and related deaths, and enhance our support for individuals with substance use disorders.

The government wants to give more nurses access to a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, in a bid to curb spiralling numbers of drug-related deaths. A consultation has been launched to amend current regulations in order to allow a wider group of professionals to hold naloxone and give it out to individuals to keep in the event of a future overdose.

Almost two-thirds of ambulance crews – who have been using Naloxone for many years – are now also able to distribute it to people who might need it, with the remainder due to be trained by the end of this year. Police Scotland has also run a pilot project for its officers to carry Naloxone while on patrol.

How does Scotland tackle this? The Scottish government hopes the investment of £250m into innovations such as Naloxone – the overdose reversal drug – and alternatives to methadone may turn the oil tanker around, but it may take time.