Labour led calls at to declare Scotland’s drug-death shame a formal health emergency – as furious MSPs demanded more money to tackle the crisis.
Monica Lennon, Scottish Labour health spokeswoman, warned the have been slow to act and need to build on the £20million pledged over two years for support services.
“When I look around the chamber, I see members who are sincere in wanting to tackle this crisis – however, we must not kid ourselves that we are doing enough,” she said.
MSPs of all parties accept there is an “emergency” but wants the Government to use the 2004 to bring together a proper response.
It would allow ministers to direct public bodies, councils and police on a nationwide problem.
Her call to action followed an earlier event hosted by the Record which brought together the public health minister and drugs activists from all over Scotland.
Lennon said the Government shouldn’t need to be pushed into dealing with a crisis.
“It is not good enough to announce a ministerial task force in March, to count our dead in July and to wait until the middle of September to get people in a room,” she said.
Tory MSP said: “This is a national emergency and the and every minister should look at portfolios collectively and take responsibility, with local government, the health service and education services all stepping up to make an emergency response.”
Labour’s Neil Findlay criticised the “paltry” £20million, announced by the Government just days ago.
“People say that we must have consensus on the issue,” he said.
“I disagree with that 100 per cent,because it is passive consensus that has got us to the situation that we are in. We need anger and direction to Government on the issue, because its response has been pathetic.”
Shona Robison, a former health secretary, said: “It is absolutely the time for radical action.
“We all need to look at those potential solutions and be willing to open our eyes to the possibilities. I am certainly willing to do that.”
