Our drug death toll will be horrifying.. it puts us to shame
Lib Dems call for urgent action on crisis
Drug death figures will be “horrifying” when they are finally revealed this week, the Lib Dems have claimed.
And they have accused the Scottish Government of failing to tackle the problem.
The 2019 statistics for drug- related deaths in Scotland are due to be published on Tuesday.
Scottish Lib Dems’ health spokesman A lex Cole - Hamilton said our drug death “emergency” is the worst in Europe and four times worse than in England and Wales.
A dispute between the Crown Office and toxicology services led to the data being delayed.
However, the Libera l Democrats said none of the 10 steps they recommended to Holyrood ministers a year ago has been acted on.
The measures include a commitment to avoid jail sentences for those caught with drugs in their personal possession and the creation of a “regulated” cannabis market.
Cole- Hami lton said: “Another year has slipped by without discernible progress and thousands of people are still at serious risk.
“On the eve of what will likely be a fresh set of horrifying statistics on Scotland’s drug deaths, we are calling on the Scottish Government to take quick steps to address this emergency.
“Scotland cannot tolerate more tragedies because neither the Scottish nor the UK government will act on a scale that matches the evidence in front of them.”
He added: “Our drug death rate puts our country to shame.
“Drug experts are clear that the Scottish Government has a range of powers it could use to tackle this crisis now.
“Scotland needs to turn a corner. A combination of pre- emptive measures and compassionate treatment could make that happen.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We have invested almost £ 895million to tackle problem alcohol and drug use since 2008.
“The total financial resource is higher, including contributions from the NHS and other statutory partners. We want to ensure everyone who requires drug and alcohol treatment has access to it and our budget commits a further £20million to reduce the harm caused by drugs. This means the total Scottish Government spend on drugs and alcohol in 2020-21 will be £95.3million.
“Our alcohol and drug strategy includes an eightpoint treatment plan that outlines ways to improve access to effective services and interventions. This includes the need for assertive outreach and ensuring the provision of a wide range of harm reduction interventions are accessible to those most at risk.”