Douglas Ross reveals he has 'never taken drugs' as he hails 'breakthrough' visit to drug centre with Nicola Sturgeon

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross revealed that he has never taken recreational drugs as he hailed a joint visit with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to a drug recovery centre a "breakthrough".

Speaking following the visit to the Bluevale Comunity Club in the Haghill area of Glasgow, Mr Ross, who said the worst misdemeanour of his youth had been to drink too much alcohol at a Young Farmers’ dance, also said he refused to rule out backing a pilot scheme for drug consumption rooms in Scotland – even if his Right to Recovery Bill does not pass.

Pointing out that no opposition leader and First Minister have held a joint visit together since the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Mr Ross said he had heard “encouraging comments” from the Ms Sturgeon relating to the bill, and said insisted that compromise was necessary “to get the right outcome”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The leader of the opposition last week stated a u-turn on the creation of drug consumption rooms – a strategy his party has previously opposed – saying he would not oppose any pilot brought forward by the Scottish Government. He said he had been influenced in his change of opinion on drug consumption rooms during recent discussions with charity Faces & Voices of Recovery UK, who he said had “convinced” him of the need to get more evidence on drug consumption rooms.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross MSP visited the Bluevale Community Club in Haghill in Glasgow to meet staff and the young people who use the facility and then onto the Bluevale Community Centre to meet staff and the  locals who meet at the centre.Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross MSP visited the Bluevale Community Club in Haghill in Glasgow to meet staff and the young people who use the facility and then onto the Bluevale Community Centre to meet staff and the  locals who meet at the centre.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross MSP visited the Bluevale Community Club in Haghill in Glasgow to meet staff and the young people who use the facility and then onto the Bluevale Community Centre to meet staff and the locals who meet at the centre.

The Scottish Conservatives say the legislation would give people the right to the addiction treatment they need, including a residential rehabilitation place, and has the backing of seven drug campaign organisations.

Mr Ross said: "It might be that drug consumption rooms aren't the answer, or they are the answer here in Scotland. Given the seriousness of the situation, I won't be opposing it that pilot if the Scottish Government bring it forward. And I want to continue to look at the evidence.”

He also told reporters that he had never dabbled in recreational drugs when he was growing up in rural Aberdeenshire, admitting that he had never even been asked the question before.

He said: “I led quite a sheltered life on the farm, the worst was going to a Young Farmers’ dance and probably drinking too much, but I've never taken drugs in my life.”

Today’s joint visit was arranged after Ms Sturgeon agreed to the meeting following a request from Mr Ross at First Minister’s Questions in October. The pair also visited the community club’s sports facilities which offer a range of activities for young people and adults including boxing, personal training and strength endurance classes which focus on improving the mental and physical health of members.

Read More
Douglas Ross writes to Nicola Sturgeon to firm up date for drugs death visit

During the visit, Ms Sturgeon confirmed a funding award of almost £100,000 to Bluevale, to enable the organisation to continue with their recovery and wellbeing services, helping their work in the community and with people in recovery from problematic substance use.

Mr Ross said: “I think it's a breakthrough, the fact that we're both here together. I can't think of a period in the devolution era since 1999, where the First Minister and the Leader of the Opposition went on a joint visit together. To agree to that, to meet with the same people, to hear the same stories and the same experiences and the same requests, I think it is good.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I certainly heard encouraging comments from the First Minister about support that may be available and its support for my bill and I take it forward. And likewise I hope she also heard I want us to address this on a cross party issue. No one has a monopoly on ideas here. We just all have a desire to stop Scotland having these record drug deaths that we’ve had the last seven years.”

Speaking at Bluevale, Ms Sturgeon said: “People should have a right to recovery and for that right to recovery to be meaningful, it has to have the right services with the right investment in place. The debate about the bill is whether a right to recovery should be captured in law. I’ve said I’m open minded to that and when it’s published, we’ll look at that with a fair mind and support it if we think it will add to this.”

She added: "We should not wait until the often long and laborious legislative process concludes before getting on with the work now that will give the right to recovery meaning and substance.”

Councillor Thomas Kerr, leader of the Scottish Conservatives for Glasgow City Council also hailed the meeting as a “shift” in the direction of tackling drugs deaths.

He said: “Thousands of families like mine have waited a long time for politicians to tackle the drugs death crisis with the urgency needed - today is a shift in that direction.”

Earlier this year, new figures revealed that Scotland has suffered more than 10,000 drugs deaths in the last 14 years, with another record number of people dying in 2020.

Currently Scotland has the worst drugs deaths toll in Europe, and the 2019 figure of 1,264 lives lost – three-and-a-half times more than in England and Wales – is expected to have been surpassed during the pandemic.

Bluevale founder and project manager Kenny Trainer called for politicians to put their differences aside and work together to start saving lives.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “We now ask that all parties, and both governments, put their political differences aside and agree on how we can tackle Scotland’s problems not just at a national level, but locally – ensuring that any investment reaches the heart of our communities where it will make the biggest impact. We have seen too many friends and family members die while seeking access to the help they needed and that’s why we back any rights-based approach when it comes to drug treatment – one based on holding decision makers to account where necessary.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.