World News for Students of English

01-10-2026 07:00

Scotland has a very big drug problem, with more than 11,000 drug deaths in ten years. Last year, 1,133 people died because new, dangerous synthetic drugs entered the market.

This crisis started years ago when factories closed, and many people lost work, hope, or support. Past government decisions to cut funding for help services also made the crisis worse. Now, Scotland is trying to fix this health emergency. Scientists are testing new drugs to help health workers respond quickly. Police are stopping drug sellers, and the government is funding overdose treatments, rehab centers, and safer places for users.

Recovery centers are helping people leave drugs behind. People who suffered from addiction can finally find a safe place to heal and start a new life.

Difficult words: synthetic (made in a lab), funding (money given by an organization or government), overdose (taking too much drug or medicine), addiction (when you need to use or do something even if it hurts you).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.