Cambridge Street was cordoned off by police at Cowcaddens shortly after 8pm on Monday, September 8, following reports that a group of people had taken unwell in the area.
It is understood that the incident is being treated as ‘drugs-related’ by officers.
(Image: Newsquest staff)
Police confirmed that a 52-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene; his next of kin is aware.
The cause of the man’s death is not yet known but the Glasgow Times understands that drugs are thought to be involved.
Meanwhile, a 37-year-old man was rushed to hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.
A 38-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man were also treated by paramedics at the scene.
READ NEXT: Probe found death of teen could have been prevented
(Image: Newsquest staff) (Image: Newsquest staff)
Cambridge Street reopened to traffic at around 9.30pm, however, part of the area remained closed early on Tuesday, September 9, while investigations took place.
Images captured by the Glasgow Times showed CID officers carrying what appeared to be evidence bags while photographing the scene.
(Image: Newsquest staff) (Image: Newsquest staff)
Their investigation appeared to be focused on a stairway on the street next to the Farmfoods store.
The area has since fully reopened, and a probe to establish the full circumstances of the incident remains ongoing.
However, officers stated that there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.
READ NEXT: Trauma team rushed to two separate incidents on Glasgow’s M80
(Image: Newsquest staff) (Image: Newsquest staff)
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.10pm on Monday, September 8, 2025, officers were called to a report of a group of people having taken unwell on Cambridge Street, Glasgow.
“Emergency services attended, and a 52-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin is aware.
“A 37-year-old man was taken to hospital, where he remains in a stable condition. A 38-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man were treated by ambulance staff at the scene.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”
@glasgowtimes
Detectives have been pictured scouring the scene of an incident in Glasgow city centre. Full story, visit www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/
♬ original sound – Glasgow Times
READ NEXT: Investigation launched following incident near Glasgow
Elsewhere, concerns have been raised over a group of ‘extremely potent’ synthetic opioids that have been widely detected across Scotland.
Last month, Public Health Scotland (PHS) issued a rapid action drug alerts and response (RADAR) alert for nitazenes, a category of new synthetic opioids (NSOs), that can be ‘hundreds of times more potent’ than heroin.
According to PHS, nitazenes are class A drugs and are often mis-sold as other drugs, including oxycodone, heroin, and benzodiazepines.
They are the most commonly detected NSOs in Scotland and have been found in both street drugs and fake medicines, sometimes in packaging that looks like genuine pharmaceutical products.
PHS noted that they have been detected in paper, powder, and tablet form. In Scotland, they are most commonly found in heroin.
However, due to the limited testing of drugs in circulation across the country, PHS states that the presence of nitazenes is ‘likely under-reported’ and there is said to be a ‘significant’ risk they may appear in the wider drugs supply.
In November 2024, the drug was discovered in the Greater Glasgow area. The substances were found in fake medication sold as Diazepam, a class-C drug used to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures.
Annemarie Ward, CEO of Faces & Voices of Recovery UK, explained that she believes testing drugs is not the solution.
She said: “Unfortunately, these nitazene compounds change with every batch. So every batch that is created is different to the previous ones.
“They’re not exactly being made under laboratory conditions. Drug checking services won’t stop overdoses and deaths from happening.
“People with addictions are not going to give up any of their drugs to get them tested. The only way to prevent deaths is to help people get freedom from their addictions.
“We cannot reduce harm when these drugs are over one hundred times stronger than heroin.
“No amount of drug checking services or consumption rooms is going to sort this.”
It comes after there were more than 600 suspected drug deaths in the first six months of 2025.
Figures published by the Scottish Government revealed that there were 607 suspected drug deaths between January and June this year.
This was a three per cent rise compared to the same period of 2024.
For further information on nitazenes, visit PHS’s website HERE.
