Scotland on Sunday letters: Drugs act has been an abject failure

Sturgeon rightly argues for Westminster to change the drugs laws (McColm, August 1, Scotland on Sunday). The high drug death rate in Scotland is shameful but the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is a reserved matter and has been an abject failure. The Act favours criminalisation, which deprives people of treatment and helps criminal drug gangs.

A drug user prepares and injects heroin inside former drug user-turned-drug policy campaigner Peter Krykant's "Safe Consumption" van, a mobile sterile drugs consumption facility he runs, in Glasgow in September 2020 (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The SNP’s official policy favours decriminalisation and moving to a public health approach.

In 2019 a report by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee Inquiry recommending a move away from criminalisation of possession and consumption, was rejected by Westminster and Scotland cannot amend the Act.

But decisions to prosecute offences under the l971 Act rest with Scotland’s Crown Office and Lord Advocate. The Lord Advocate can waive the right of prosecution of specified drugs like cannabis.

If this was done it would enable consumption rooms and help to get to harm reduction and treatment.

A public health evidence-based approach is needed with fully resourced community services, and urgent implementation of the draft guidelines on benzodiazepines.

Johnson’s rogue government threatens funding of public services in Scotland through their privatisation and their sidelining of Holyrood. They ride over the devolution settlement and democracy.

For good governance Scotland needs to have the necessary economic levers and political powers only possible with independence. By the way the free prescription scheme is cost effective and aids those on lower incomes.

Pol Yates, Edinburgh

Keep it real

As ever, those of a separatist persuasion only see what they want and refuse to admit to facts. Catriona Clark, (letters, August 1), criticises Alex Cole-Hamilton for claiming correctly that Nicola Sturgeon has no mandate for Indyref2.

Because the SNP won a majority of seats at the 2021 Scottish Election and the 2019 Westminster Election, she is of the opinion the SNP have a mandate to rip the UK apart.

Here are some figures: 2021 Scottish Election: total SNP constituency and regional votes: 2,385,578. Total pro-Union party votes (Con, Lab, Lib): 2,624,836. 2019 Westminster Election: total SNP votes: 1,242,380. Total pro-Union party votes: 1,468,194.

It is abundantly clear that if it came to Indyref2 the pro-Union vote would triumph so Mr Cole-Hamilton is quite correct. Nicola Sturgeon knows what the result would be hence her refusal to commit to a referendum.

Separatists are fed a diet of emotion and imagination to keep them onside, refusing to believe the awful consequences of tearing Scotland out of the UK against the wishes of the majority.

A Braveheart and Brigadoon existence will not feed the hungry, house the homeless and save drug addicts. Time to get real.

Douglas Cowe, Newmachar, Aberdeenshire

Problem solved

It would take a simple change in the law to make it a requirement to have a vaccination passport or medical exception certificate before entering any licensed premises.

By doing this there would be a flood of people heading to the drop in centres to get their jags and "Herd Immunity" would be achieved within weeks – problem solved!

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Bucksburn, Aberdeen

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