£68m pledged with new action plan to tackle drug deaths

Those seeking treatment for drug addiction will be able to access services without “stigma and discrimination”, Scotland’s drugs policy minister has said.

Angela Constance pledged £68 million over the next three years as part of a new action plan on drug deaths.

On Thursday, she published the Government’s response to last year’s report from the drug deaths taskforce chaired by former police chief constable David Strang.

Mr Strang’s report said a major cultural change was needed to tackle the drug deaths crisis, and he recommended 139 specific actions.

Ms Constance announced the funding during a debate on the report in Holyrood.

She said: “I do very much believe that the actions in the cross-government plan will help to ensure that people who need support for their drug use, as well as the families, can access the right support at the right time.

“And also ensure that any public service that they might need, that they can access that without facing stigma or discrimination.”

She said the funding includes £30 million for drug services in primary care settings.

Another £18 million will go towards crisis care services and schemes which help people stabilise their lives.

The Government also announced a stigma action plan, which includes an accreditation scheme for organisations which improve awareness.

Ms Constance said: “The drug deaths taskforce was formed to provide independent expert advice on our response to this emergency and this cross-government action plan includes a broad range of initiatives which will not only support the complex needs of people who use drugs, but also help support prevention and early intervention.

“This publication outlines our whole-Government commitment to addressing this challenge and ensuring that people with problem substance use can access all the services they need and are entitled to.”

Conservative drugs policy spokeswoman Sue Webber welcomed the Government’s response to the taskforce report.

She urged ministers to back Tory leader Douglas Ross’s proposed Right to Addiction Recovery Bill.

Ms Webber said: “More needs to be done, there continues to be a widening gap between the warm words of the SNP on the drug deaths scandal and the reality of how little action they continue to take on the ground.”