The Scottish Government will make an emergency statement on the drugs death crisis tomorrow in response to the tragedy.
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance will provide a response after Nicola Sturgeon updates MSPs on her lockdown easing plan.
Figures released on Friday showed that 1,339 people died from drugs in 2020 – a new record high.
The rate was three-and-a-half times higher than the rest of the UK and the highest in Europe, while the statistics also showed the least affluent were 18 times more likely to die from drugs than their more well off counterparts.
Both the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour demanded an urgent ministerial statement and one has been agreed for tomorrow afternoon.
However, the parties believe the First Minister, not Constance, should address MSPs.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “Last week’s statistics once more laid bare the scale of the crisis that we face regarding drug deaths.
“Every death is an avoidable tragedy and without action we risk losing more and more Scots to drug deaths.
“Despite Scotland having the same drug laws as the rest of the country we have three and half times the rate of drug deaths. And we know that it is those from the most deprived areas who are at the greatest risk.
“It is only right that the First Minister recognises the scale of the crisis and leads for the government on this issue tomorrow.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: While it’s right that we have an urgent statement on the drug deaths crisis, given the scale of this tragedy, the First Minister has to answer directly for her government’s fatal inaction and apparent failure to save lives.
“When a crisis reaches the level of being Scotland’s shame, hiding is not an option.
“Nicola Sturgeon has been absent from the government’s response so far, despite the drug death crisis spiralling entirely during her time as First Minister.
“Left to carry the can, Angela Constance has dodged scrutiny, claiming she ‘can’t speak about past mistakes’. She has irritated campaigners by turning up to a drug death memorial in Glasgow and speaking about a Deacon Blue song, instead of offering solutions.”
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