DRUGS: To tackle drugs deaths and child addiction, Tories must compromise

By Bill Heaney

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has called on UK government drugs minister Kit Malthouse to work with Scottish ministers, ​campaigners, and opposition politicians on a framework for reforming Scottish drugs policy, including allowing for the provision of heroin assisted treatment rooms.

On Tuesday Mr Malthouse will appear in front of the Scottish Parliament’s joint committee on drugs deaths. On Wednesday, Scottish drugs minister Angela Constance and drugs death taskforce chair David Strang will appear before the committee.

Scotland recorded 1,339 drug deaths last year. Statistics compiled by the Scottish Liberal Democrats through freedom of information requests show that since 2017, at least 856 babies were born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) – showing signs of drug addiction because of their mother taking legal or illegal drugs during pregnancy.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Not only does Scotland have the worst drugs death rate in Europe, over Christmas my party revealed that more than 850 babies have been born addicted to drugs in the last five years alone.

Angela Constance, Scotland’s Minister for Drugs Policy.

“Both of our governments deserve to shoulder some of the blame. In 2016, the Scottish Government slashed funding to drug and alcohol partnerships by more than 20%. Valuable local facilities shut their doors and expertise was lost which has proved hard to replace. Likewise, there can be no denying that the UK Government’s hard-line approach to drugs policy has been a complete failure.

“People need to know that if they come forward about drug misuse, they will be met with treatment and support, not with criminal sentences.

“It’s time for radical action to establish heroin assisted treatment and safe consumption spaces.

“Whether, with the support of the Lord Advocate [Dorothy Bain QC, pictured], Scotland could introduce some of these measures on its own is still underexplored, but ultimately the quickest and surest way would be for the UK government to work with us to save lives.

“Kit Malthouse should work with Scottish ministers, campaigners and opposition politicians on a framework for reforming Scottish drugs policy.

“Drug misuse should always be treated as a health issue, not a criminal justice matter. Anything else will condemn many more children to be born into these awful circumstances.”

To be clear, Mr Cole-Hamilton is calling for:

  • radical action to establish heroin assisted treatment and safe consumption spaces. 
  • the establishment of new specialist Family Drug and Alcohol Commissions to help provide wraparound services and to take a holistic approach to those reported for drug offences, learning from best international practice such as that in Portugal.  
  • the diversion of people caught in possession of drugs for personal use into education, treatment and recovery, ceasing imprisonment in these circumstances. 
  • The adoption of the principle that individuals and families shouldn’t have to pay for the care and treatment of those at risk of death from drugs or alcohol. 

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