The organisation charged with treating drug addicts in South Lanarkshire has hailed the SNP’s decision to officially support the decriminalisation of drug use in Scotland.
Addaction praised delegates at the party’s conference who voted to decriminalise possession and consumption of controlled drugs on Sunday.
Instead the party voted to treat drug addiction as a health issue.
It comes after the Reformer’s sister paper the Daily Record called for drugs to be decriminalised earlier this year when the number of recorded drug deaths in Scotland and South Lanarkshire reached an all-time high.
Fifty-eight people died after taking drugs in South Lanarkshire last year, a 153 per cent increase in the past 10 years.
Andrew Horne, director of Addaction, said: “We warmly welcome the SNP’s decision to officially support the decriminalisation of drugs in Scotland.
“Trying to arrest our way out of the problem has been a monumental failure, so it’s heartening to see a political party listening to the evidence base.
He added: “People who develop problems with drugs need compassion and support, not punishment.
“It’s crucial to remember that drug use has no social barriers. People from all walks of life use drugs and all deserve equal treatment for what is ultimately a health and care issue - not a criminal one.”
Last year 1187 people died from drugs in Scotland, one of the worst rates per head of population of any country in the developed world.
The new SNP policy sends a clear signal that it will use the law – if devolved from London – to decriminalise possession, set up safe consumption rooms for addicts and take the stigma from users.
Speaking at the party conference in Aberdeen, MP Tommy Sheppard made a direct plea to the UK Home Secretary Priti Patel to devolve the necessary powers to Scotland.
He said: “This is a small change. It does not require an act of parliament. It requires an enlightened home secretary to lift a pen and signal order.
“I call upon the British Government to make the change.
“If they don’t want to do it, then give Scotland the ability to do it instead.”
Welcoming the SNP policy, Addaction also asked that it be supported with additional funding for drug treatment centres and other services which support addicts across a range of issues.
