The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Perthshire MP leads call for decriminalisation to help end drugs crisis.
Westminster committee also slams Scottish Government for cutting budgets
A cross-party group of Scottish MPs has said decriminalisation may be the most “pragmatic” method of ending Scotland’s drugs death crisis.
Led by Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart, the Scottish affairs committee (SAC) today published its “all-encompassing” report on the state of problem drug use in Scotland.
The committee, which has representatives from all of Scotland’s Westminster parties, has called on the UK Government to decriminalise drug possession as part of efforts to reduce “stigma” around drug users.
It has accused the Scottish Government of adding to the drug death crisis by cutting Alcohol and Drugs partnership budgets, making the situation “worse”.
In Scotland last year 1,187 people died from drug-related deaths, 66 of those in Dundee.
The SAC heard evidence from a range of people who work with drug users and people in recovery too, including Dundee recovery worker and former addict Sharon Brand.
She said: “My experience at Westminster was amazing. They listened and I hope what was shared by all of us who gave evidence goes some way in changing policies and laws which currently exist. I am just not sure that it will.
“My opinion on lived experience is echoed through the last three years of my work. It has changed since I started, but I fear not for the better.
“You cannot recreate lived experience to fit a service or charity, which is why it doesn’t work now.”
Ms Brand warned previously the situation in Dundee was getting “worse before it was getting better” and the drug death toll is even higher than officially recorded.
The SAC also recommends the introduction of safe drug consumption rooms – which would also require changes to the law and more money for treatment and recovery services.
As well as calling on the UK Government to enact change, the SAC found the Scottish Government should and could be doing more.
They note its decisions, such as that to cut funding for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in the 2016-17 budget, have made the situation worse.
Mr Wishart said: “Throughout our inquiry we heard tragic accounts of the pain and suffering that problem drug use is causing in Scotland. If this number of people were being killed by any other illness, the government would declare it as a public health issue.
“The evidence is clear – the criminal justice approach does not work. Decriminalisation is a pragmatic solution to problem drug use; reducing stigma around drug use and addiction, and encouraging people to seek treatment.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The outdated Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 should be amended to allow us to implement a range of public health focused responses, including the introduction of safe consumption facilities in Glasgow.
“We call on the incoming UK Government to amend the Act or to devolve those powers to Scotland.
“We have invested almost £800 million to tackle problem alcohol and drug use since 2008.
“Our 2018 alcohol and drug strategy set out how an additional £20m per year announced the year before is being used to improve local prevention, treatment and recovery services.
“In addition we announced through our 2019-20 Programme for Government a further investment of £20m over two years to support local services and provide targeted support.”