SCOTLAND’S Public Health minister has said that if the UK Government won’t take action to cut the number of people dying from drug overdoses, it must hand over powers to allow the Scottish Parliament to take life-saving decisions.
Joe FitzPatrick, who will this week give evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee’s inquiry on problem drug use, said the Scottish Government wanted to take “bold and innovative measures” but was being held back by UK ministers. Last Friday it was announced that Prof Catriona Matheson would take up post as Scotland’s drugs tsar ahead of figures released later this month which are expected to show drug deaths in 2018 topped 1000.
FitzPatrick told the Sunday National: “What Scotland faces in terms of drugs-related deaths is an emergency so it is important we treat drug use as a public health issue. We want to take innovative and bold measures in order to save the lives of those most at risk but policy on the use of controlled drugs is currently reserved to the UK Government.”
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The Scottish Government has backed calls for a safe injection facility in Glasgow, allowing people to take drugs under supervised and supportive conditions but it has been repeatedly ruled out by the UK Government, which claims it would be against the law. Evidence from similar facilities across the world including Canada and mainland Europe suggest they reduce fatalities.
“We have called on the UK Government to use their powers through the Misuse of Drugs Act to enable us to implement safe consumption facilities in Glasgow,” added FitzPatrick. “Health professionals and experts agree that the introduction of such facilities is one of the most important things we can do right now to help tackle the problem of drug use. This has been further reinforced during the evidence sessions at the Scottish Select Affairs Committee investigation where I will give evidence this week.
“It is vital that we take action now but if the UK Government won’t act then the powers should be devolved so that decisions would be for the Scottish Parliament to consider.”
However others claim action can be taken within the current legislative framework with access to treatment – including psychological support – still too difficult to access.
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