Douglas Ross: Government should be solving drugs deaths not pushing Indyref2

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has said the Scottish Government’s push for another independence referendum is “disgraceful” in light of a new report on drug deaths.

The drug deaths task force set up by the Scottish Government to tackle the rising number of deaths caused by drugs released its final report on Thursday.

The group stressed the need for a “culture change” in dealing with addictions, along with describing current funding to tackle the problem as “woefully inadequate”.

Mr Ross, who has proposed a Bill that would enshrine in law the right to recovery from addiction, said: “Drug deaths are Scotland’s national shame and Nicola Sturgeon was forced to admit she took her eye off the ball.

“This watershed report makes it clear that can never happen again if we are to drastically reduce the tragic number of lives lost to drugs in Scotland.

“That is why it is disgraceful that Nicola Sturgeon is pressing ahead with plans for another divisive independence referendum next year.

“That is time and resources that should be spent on tackling record levels of drugs deaths right now.”

Mr Ross went on to say there was no “silver bullet” for reducing the number of people dying because of drugs, but claimed his legislation “can be a game changer in this fight” and urged drugs minister Angela Constance to back it.

“The Right to Recovery Bill was written in conjunction with frontline experts like Favor Scotland, and SNP ministers must accept the taskforce’s recommendation to do likewise in their own response to this crisis,” he added.

“The consultation responses to the Right to Recovery Bill were overwhelmingly positive.

“The SNP’s drugs policy minister has indicated she backs the Bill in principle, but there is no time for dithering and delaying in order to ensure we support those struggling with addiction immediately. She could back this Bill to go through Parliament right now.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour drugs spokeswoman Claire Baker said: “From the woeful underfunding of services to the fragmented approach to policy, this report makes it clear that the status quo is not good enough.

“There is more that can and must be done here in Scotland if we are to reduce drug deaths, and the Scottish Government must respond to this report with the urgency needed.

“There is no time to waste – they need to use every lever at their disposal to tackle the serious shortcomings raised in this report.”