Burnham rejects drugs decriminalisation after Swinney backs it
The Scottish Parliament has been divided by the issue, with the SNP, Scottish Greens and Lib Dems calling for more “harm reduction measures” like safer injection sites.
Meanwhile the Scottish Conservatives and Reform have decried “state-sponsored drug taking”, calling for the Thistle facility to be shut down in favour of more rehab beds.
The Scottish government’s drugs minister, Maree Todd, said the Scottish government was taking a public health approach to drugs, which would reduce harm and save lives.
She said it would allow people found in possession of drugs to be treated and supported rather than criminalised and excluded.
Todd continued: “Evidence also suggests it can help remove barriers to people accessing support and treatment. We are equally clear that strong support, treatment and harm reduction services are also essential.
“We continue to widen access to naloxone treatment and residential rehabilitation.”
More than 11,000 drug-related deaths have been recorded in Scotland over the past decade.
The crisis has been worsened by the emergence of dealers mixing powerful synthetic opioids with heroin, cocaine and other dangerous drugs.
National Records of Scotland (NRS) said last year’s increase was driven by a rise in fatalities among males, with drug-related deaths in the most deprived areas 15 times as high as in the least deprived areas.
The most recent comparable data from 2024 shows that Scotland had an age-adjusted death rate of 216 per million compared with 91 for England, 140 for Wales and 135 for Northern Ireland.
