The number of babies in Scotland to have started out life addicted to alcohol and drugs continues to raise concern.

Freedom of Information requests revealed that at least 1,633 babies were born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) between 2017 and 2025.

The syndrome, which can result in uncontrollable trembling and hyperactivity, is caused by exposure to addictive drugs in the womb.

Devastating

Drugs and alcohol policy minister Maree Todd said: “No newborn baby should be born dependent on substances and mothers should be able to get the help they need, free from judgment and stigma.” She committed to “continue to work hard to improve services”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “It is difficult to imagine a worse start to life than a newborn suffering from drug dependency.

“These figures are a devastating, but important reminder of the dreadful harms caused by Scotland’s drugs emergency”. He then went on to hail his party’s plan to introduce more ‘safe consumption rooms’ to allow addicts to take drugs without fear of arrest.

Facilitating addiction

The Christian Institute’s Head of Communications, Angus Saul, commented: “These numbers show an ongoing tragedy in Scotland. However, making it easier for pregnant women to take addictive drugs by opening more drug consumption rooms is a bewildering response.”

He continued: “The Government should be prioritising giving mothers support to end their addiction, not facilitating it. No illegal drug addiction is safe for a baby.”

Glasgow is currently piloting Scotland’s first drug consumption room, The Thistle, a Scottish Government-funded ‘shooting gallery’. It is open seven days a week and has effectively been declared a ‘prosecution-free drug zone’ by the Lord Advocate.