People came to George Square last night to remember the men and women who have lost their lives in a drug-related death.

In 2021, in Glasgow, the number reached a new shocking record high when 311 people died.

Year after year, people are lost. With more than 2000 people dying in the last ten years in Glasgow.

READ MORE: Glasgow's shocking drug death toll reached new record as latest numbers revealed

Families and friends gathered last night to mourn their loved ones and remember the brothers, sisters, sons, daughters mothers and fathers they lost.

Each took their turn at the mic, speaking in public sharing their experience and asking for change, to prevent more people from dying.

Patricia Colligan spoke of losing several family.

She said: “I’ve lost four family members, three sisters and a son in the last four years.

“Nothing got done for them. I’m nine years in recovery. My mother got to see one daughter get off drugs.

READ MORE: Scotland's drug deaths crisis: 'People deserve the legal right to treatment'

“It’s heartbreaking to know I’m the only one of my family who escaped death.”

Justine McMaster spoke of her experience of losing a number of people she loved.

She said: “I’m the daughter of a mother who died from this illness.

“I’ve been burying friends since I was 14 years old. I’m now 40 years old and I’m still burying friends.

“We must change.”

Another man spoke of his brother, Evan.

He said: “My brother, Evan passed away last November of a heroin overdose in his house. He had mental health problems and he was not helped correctly. Evan tried to kill himself twice.

"After that, he was sectioned  and put in an institution where it was easier to get drugs than it was on the streets.”

Several other men ad women shared their experiences.

Natalie McLean chief executive of recovery group, Sisco, helped organize a vigil three years ago and has been campaigning for a change in how people are treated.

She said: “I stood here three years ago after I lost the sixth member of my family.

She read out their names and asked people to remember.

“Stevie Logan, Jamie Logan, Danny McSweeney, David Scott, Mary McSweeney, Paul Houston.”

She added: “But nothing has changed. Last year, 1330 family members buried their loved ones.

She added: “To the families out there suffering and struggling we hear and see you and will forever mourn and grieve with you.  We see the name, not the number.”

Annemarie Ward of Faces and Voices of Recovery (Favor) called on the politicians to act.

She said: “Three years ago we stood on this same spot. Some are no longer with us.”

Since then there has been a 12% rise in deaths.”

She said government acting in the same way pursuing the same policies through the same organisations ahs led to  people continuing to die in their thousands.

She added: “ There has been no difference, no change and more deaths int eh last three years.”