John Swinney has said Scotland must make “the most urgent progress we possibly can” to address the country’s drugs death emergency.
The First Minister spoke out as the SNP Government launched a new charter of rights for Scots battling addictions.
The document is designed to lay out the rights available to “people impacted by substance use” and the support they can expect to deal with addiction.
It draws from existing laws and highlights seven rights for drug users – including the “right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”.
The charter has drawn support from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, who said there needs to be “new approaches” taken to addiction.
The Scottish Government has faced repeated criticism for failing to get to grips with Scotland’s drugs deaths crisis.
More people die from substance abuse per head of population than anywhere else in Europe. Last year, 1,172 Scots died from drugs – up 121 on the previous 12 months.
There were just 244 deaths in 1996 when comparable records began.
The death rate from drugs in Scotland is 2.7 times as high as the rate for England and Northern Ireland, and 2.1 times as high as the rate in Wales.
The Record has led the way in drawing attention to the issue and campaigning for better access to rehabilitation facilities.
We have also set the agenda by calling for the decriminalisation of drug use to make it a social rather than a criminal issue.
Swinney launched the new charter on a visit to Glasgow where he spoke with charities and third sector organisations who have helped develop it.
The SNP leader said: “As a country, we have to make the most urgent progress we possibly can to address the tragedy that we are facing. One drugs death is one death too many.
“And there are far too many drug deaths in our society. So there is a necessity of ensuring we have the right solutions in place.”
Swinney added: “My condolences go to all those who have lost a loved one.
“We want every person experiencing harm from alcohol or drug use to be able access the support they need, and through our £250 million national mission on drugs we’re taking a wide range of actions.
“This charter is a key part of that mission and draws on the experience of communities and families affected by substance use.
“It significantly strengthens our public health and human rights-based approach to substance use-related harms and, over time, it will contribute to significantly improving and saving lives.”
Swinney was later asked if his Government still supported the decriminalisation of drugs in Scotland, a stance previously taken by Humza Yousaf.
Drug laws are reserved to Westminster but the SNP has pushed for greater controls to be devolved to Scotland.
Asked if he had discussed the matter with the new Labour Government, he said: “These are issues that have been raised by the Scottish Government with the UK Government because we recognise the interaction between the criminal justice system and some of the solutions that we might want to put in place to address these issues.
“But I obviously have to operate within the legal framework that is available just now that regulates and conditions the steps that we can take.”
Swinney added: “I think that very clear arguments have been marshalled by the Scottish Government that support a decriminalisation in certain circumstances to enable us to address the most effective response to the circumstances that people face.”
Last year the Scottish Government announced new plans to curb drug deaths and insisted that the “war on drugs had failed.”
Drug consumption rooms are being introduced in Glasgow – and potentially in Dundee and Aberdeen – which will allow users to take illicit substances under the watchful eyes of health professionals.
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