New Tory policy to tackle drug crisis backed by experts

Experts and charities overwhelmingly back the Scottish Conservatives’ Right to Recovery Bill, we can reveal.

The legislation, which the Tories now hope will secure cross-party support at Holyrood, would enshrine in law a right to life-saving treatment for those with addiction.

We can reveal that of 194 responses received by the party, 77% said they either partially or fully support it.

These include the likes of homeless charities Cyrenians and Simon Community Scotland, the Scottish Tenants Organisation, Recovery Enterprises Scotland, addiction experts and faith groups.

In all, 124 respondents described themselves as “fully supportive” of the proposals, while 26 were “partially supportive”.

Speaking to us, Mr Ross said rather than “hoping beyond hope” that Scotland’s drug death crisis goes away, his bill could provide “a positive course to ramp up treatment for those who need it”.

“There were 1,339 drugrelated deaths registered across Scotland in 2020, the largest number since records began in 1996,” the Scottish Conservative leader said.

“But the real shame is that nothing ever changes for people or the families of those who are torn apart by the lethal scourge of drugs.”

Mr Ross said drug deaths have almost tripled during Nicola Sturgeon’s time as first minister and that alcohol and drug partnership funding has been cut in real terms for six years.

“As the death toll rises year on year, so plunges the accessibility of rehabilitation and addiction counselling,” he said.

He described his bill as a “landmark piece of legislation which is informed not just by politicians at Holyrood but by experts who deal with addiction in all its forms”.

But he also took aim at the Scottish Government as he claimed it has not done enough to tackle the crisis.

He said: “The new drugs minister Angela Constance focuses on drug medication assisted treatment standards, which are a step in the right direction but do not give people with addiction any enforceable rights.

“After 15 years of failure, it is not enough.”

The Scottish Conservatives say they will now lodge a formal proposal to get signatures from MSPs of all parties in the hope of bringing the bill forward at Holyrood.

But a number of influential drug policy campaigners, including Peter Krykant, a recovering addict who supports “safe spaces” where users can take their drugs using clean syringes with an overdose antidote on hand, have publicly voiced concerns that the Right to Recovery Bill could do more harm than good.

They claim the policy is dismissive of “harm reduction” measures, such as methadone, and could see money taken from services instead of supporting them.

Nicola Sturgeon has said she has an “open mind” about a legal right to recovery treatment.

Speaking last month as it was reported suspected drug deaths fell by 8% last year, Ms Constance said the government is working to improve treatment standards and increase residential rehabilitation spaces.

Read Douglas Ross’s opinion piece on our website at pressandjournal.co.uk

CRISIS TALK: Douglas Ross claimed drug deaths have almost tripled during Nicola Sturgeon’s time as first minister.