Douglas Ross is today (Monday) urging MSPs of all parties to rally behind landmark legislation which he believes can be “a game-changer” in Scotland’s war against drugs deaths.
The Scottish Conservative Leader will lodge the final proposal for the Right to Recovery Bill at Holyrood this morning after a successful consultation period in which 77% of responses supported the plans.
The proposal was drafted in consultation with experts in the field of drug and alcohol addiction, such as the charity FAVOR Scotland.
Right to Recovery would enshrine in law the right of everyone to receive the potentially life-saving treatment and support they need, including, where appropriate, residential rehabilitation.
Douglas Ross insists radical but practical action is needed to tackle the “national tragedy” of Scotland’s drug-fatality epidemic, and he is calling on politicians of every hue to back the bill.
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said: “Scotland has the worst record in Europe for drug deaths. This is a national tragedy that ought to shame the SNP Government who have presided over the huge rise in numbers.
“There is no, one silver bullet in the fight against drug and alcohol deaths but I firmly believe Right to Recovery can be a game-changer.
“That’s because it has been drafted with the help of those with lived experience of addiction, and it will tackle one of the biggest obstacles to recovery those with addictions face: the scarcity of treatment available.
“Today it moves another step closer to the statute book, when I formally submit the final proposal to parliament.
“I would urge MSPs from across the parliament to back Right to Recovery. The current approach to drug and alcohol addiction clearly isn’t working, so radical but common-sense action is required - and this bill is that.
“The response to it from stakeholders – including charities, support groups, tenants’ associations and churches – was overwhelmingly positive at the consultation stage. Now it’s time for us politicians to get it enacted.”
Notes
The Scottish Conservatives held a consultation period on the Right to Recovery Bill from October 2021 to January 2022. The proposed bill is titled ‘Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill’. (Scottish Parliament, Proposed Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill, 7 October 2021, link).
After assessing the responses to the consultation, which were published last month, Douglas Ross will today lodge his final proposal. This will then sit for one month to garner signatures from MSPs. If the proposal receives the support of at least 18 MSPs representing at least two parties, and if the Scottish Government do not indicate that they intend to legislate in the same area, he will earn the right to bring forward a bill.
The principle which underlies the proposed Bill is to ensure that people who are addicted to drugs (and/or alcohol) are able to access the necessary addiction treatment they require.
In order to achieve this, the proposed bill will enshrine the right to necessary addiction treatment in Scots Law. It would place an obligation on NHS Health Boards, Scottish Ministers and others, as appropriate, to provide treatment and set up reporting arrangements so that the quality and access of treatment provided can be monitored and reported to the Scottish Parliament. This will ensure that individuals may access a preferred treatment option unless it is deemed to be harmful by a medical professional.
The drug death rate has almost tripled on the SNP’s watch and is at record highs. In 2020, there were 1,339 drug-related deaths registered in Scotland. This was 5% more than in 2019 and the largest number since records began in 1996. It is almost triple the 455 recorded in 2007 when the SNP came to power. (NRS, Drug Deaths in Scotland 2020, 30 July 2021, link).
Scotland’s drug death rate is three-and-a-half times worse than the rest of the UK and the worst in Europe. In 2019, the Scottish drug death rate stood at 234 drug-related deaths per million, compared with 65 per million for the UK. When compared with the rest of Europe, Scotland also has the highest number of drug-deaths per capita, with the next largest death rate coming from Sweden and Norway. (NRS, Drug Deaths in Scotland 2020, 30 July 2021, link).