Campaigners have welcomed the funding, which will be spent on projects over the next five years
Campaigners have welcomed funding to end Scotland’s “disgraceful” level of drug deaths.
An additional £50 million will be allocated every year for the next five years to improve and increase services for people affected by drug addiction, the Scottish Government announced yesterday (Wednesday 21 January).
Scotland has recorded the highest ever number of drug-related deaths for the past six consecutive year, with 1,264 people losing their lives in 2019.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said a national mission was needed to turn things around, describing the amount of deaths as a “national disgrace”.
David Liddell, Scottish Drugs Forum’s chief executive, welcomed the commitment and said drug deaths are not inevitable.
He said: “This is a comprehensive initial response which will be roundly welcomed by people working in the drugs field and by people affected by drug problems, their families and communities. It results from recent engagement by government ministers who have obviously been in listening mode.
“The personal involvement by the First Minister is welcome as it will be taken as an indicator of the strength of government commitment and will help ensure that change happens at a much faster pace than we have seen to date. We must remember that fatal overdoses are not inevitable and are all potentially preventable.
“The commitments made in terms of service development are the early steps in providing a comprehensive effective treatment system. The delivery of that system must be the priority as the evidence is clear – we need to increase treatment capacity, accessibility and quality. Being in treatment is the key means to prevent drug overdose deaths.”
The figure includes £20m a year for residential rehabilitation services and "significant" funding for local alcohol and drugs partnerships and grassroots organisations.
Sturgeon said: “Anyone who ends up losing their life as a result of drug addiction, is not just failed at the time of their death – in most cases, they will have been failed repeatedly throughout their whole life.
“I believe that if we have the will, we can and we will find the ways to stop this happening.
“Doing so requires a national mission to end what is currently a national disgrace.
“It is a reasonable criticism to say that this government should have done more earlier, and I accept that.
“But I am determined that we will provide this national mission with the leadership, focus, and resources that it needs.”
