Drug support charities declared support for Scottish Government's calls to decriminalise drugs for personal use

The Scottish Government wants to see drugs decriminalised for personal use in a bid to bring down drug deaths

Drugs charities say they support the Scottish Government’s calls to decriminalise drugs for personal use, but add there is more Holyrood could do now to help bring down spiralling drug deaths.

Last year 1,330 people died from drug misuse in Scotland. Although this is down slightly from the 1,339 deaths the previous year, this is still by far the highest drug death rate in Europe.

The SNP-Green government has announced it wants to decriminalise all drugs for personal use so drug users are “treated and supported rather than criminalised and excluded”.

The Scottish Government wants to see drugs decriminalised for personal use. Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.

Stephen McCulloch, from charity We Are With You, said: “We are really behind the Scottish Government’s report, there is some excellent thinking behind it.

“Ultimately decriminalising it takes away the shame and isolation, and we believe that accompanied with long-term investment in treatment and recovery, it could increase access to support services like ours.”

Patricia Tracey, from Turning Point Scotland, added: “Something needs to change. We know the current legislation is causing some of that harm and they have not been reviewed in over 50 years.

“We find with drugs being punished, it affects the whole issue of drug users and the stigma around it. These people see themselves as bad because that is how society is set up

Stephen McCulloch from We Are With You.

“We need the whole conversation to be different.”

Ms Tracey said along with decriminalising drug use, services such as drug checking facilities and safe consumption rooms should be seriously considered.

She said: “What could happen is we divert the money we are currently spending on criminalising these people in the courts, into treatment services.

“Trying to discourage drug use is only making it more harmful, and these sorts of services would not encourage more people to take drugs.

Patricia Tracey from Turning Point Scotland.

“The problem is already there whether we try and tackle it this way or not.”

Mr McCulloch added: “There is a lot of good thinking and good work already taking place in Scotland to support these people.

“We welcome the other recommendations being made like heroin-assisted care and drug checking facilities.

“There are opportunities that exist here to help a lot more people through recovery.”

Drug laws are reserved to Westminster. The UK Government says it will not be pursuing plans to decriminalise drugs “given the associated harms, including the risks posed by organised criminals”.

Drugs charities told The Scotsman they cannot understand why the UK Government does not want to have a conversation on this issue in Scotland.

Mr McCulloch said: “We don’t want this to be a political football. From our perspective, it is about the human behind all of this and having care, compassion and human rights at the forefront of harm reduction.”

Ms Tracey added: “I don’t understand why the UK Government doesn’t want to have the conversation.

“We need a proper, evidence-based discussion on what this would mean.

“People are dying and a lot of harm is happening, so the status quo is not working.

“The Scottish Government already has some powers they could be using – there are enough support services in Scotland to really make things happen.”

The charities have spoken as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told Scotland on Sunday he did not believe Holyrood required more powers to adequately tackle the drugs deaths crisis.

Mr Sarwar said: “I think anyone that tells you there is a silver bullet solution to our drugs death crisis is not telling you the truth … [but] I don’t think that requires the devolution of drugs laws and or decriminalisation across the UK.”

The SNP responded by arguing Labour “can't be trusted to deliver the powers Scotland needs to build a fairer society".

SNP health spokesperson Martyn Day said: "The Scottish Government is taking action to reduce drug deaths, but the UK's drug laws are at odds with Scotland's public health approach and they are undermining progress.

"This is not a time for timidity. It's deeply disappointing Anas Sarwar is falling into line with the failed Tory policies of the past, rather than working collectively to deliver much-needed change.

"Scottish Government ministers want to work constructively with the UK Government, political parties at Holyrood and stakeholders. I hope all parties will get around the table to ensure Scotland has the full powers needed to tackle this long-standing problem."