There has been a 75% increase of babies born addicted to drugs in Edinburgh where 75 cases of babies were born with withdrawal symptoms in the latest 3-year period (2005-08), compared to 43 cases in the previous period (2002-05).  Scottish ministers have highlighted the need to address this issue urgently.  Some of the effects of the withdrawal symptoms in babies include being jittery, difficult to feed, high-pitched cry and not wanting to be held.

There has also been an 11.9% increase in the number of drug-addicted women giving birth in Edinburgh (from 157 in 2002-05 to 263 in 2005-08) whose number represents almost double that of the Scottish average.

Former health minister, Malcolm Chisholm, says that much support and early intervention is needed as possible.