Mortality and cause of death in a cohort of people who had ever injected drugs in Glasgow: 1982–2012

Highlights • Thirty years of mortality in a cohort of people who had ever injected drugs (PWID) recruited through in-patient drug rehabilitation services in low HIV prevalence settings. • The mortality rate was almost nine times higher than the age, gender and calendar matched population. • High excess mortality was observed across all age groups, including older people who had injected drugs. • No differences in mortality rates were observed when stratified by age at recruitment. • Seeking drug use histories from patients and offering health screening may prevent morbidities and premature death.