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Douglas Ross: Bluevale return reaffirms need to tackle Scotland’s drug deaths crisis

Douglas Ross says his return visit to the Bluevale Community Centre in Glasgow reaffirms the need to urgently tackle Scotland’s drug deaths crisis.

The Scottish Conservative leader was back at the facility exactly a year after making a joint visit with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to listen to campaigners desperate to see action on Scotland’s record levels of drug deaths.

However, a damning report led by FAVOR Scotland to coincide with the anniversary of the joint visit says the crisis has been “forgotten” by politicians.

Douglas Ross has praised the work of campaigners and says that they continue to be let down by SNP Government inaction.

Scotland has by far the worst drugs-death rate in Europe – with 1,330 Scots losing their lives due to substance abuse in 2021. Douglas Ross insists it’s time the SNP Government got on with putting his Right to Recovery Bill into law, rather than merely issuing vaguely supportive platitudes.

The Bill – which was written in conjunction with experts such as FAVOR Scotland – would guarantee access to potentially life-saving treatment for anyone who requires it.

Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said: “Drug deaths are Scotland’s national shame and my thoughts are with everyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one as a result.

“My visit a year ago alongside Nicola Sturgeon should have heralded a major turning point in tackling this crisis. Instead, the SNP Government have continued to let down campaigners at every turn and merely paid them lip service.

“That is why campaigners have concluded in their damning report that this crisis has shamefully been forgotten about. I carefully listened again to campaigners at Bluevale, and the clear message is that we must act without any further delay.

“Nicola Sturgeon admitted herself she took her eye off the ball on drug deaths – and that still seems to be the case, given her government’s painfully slow progress to tackle the crisis.

“My Right to Recovery Bill was written in conjunction with experts like FAVOR Scotland and received overwhelming support at consultation stage. This bill would guarantee access to treatment for everyone who needs it.

“The Right to Recovery Bill must be enshrined in law as quickly as possible, otherwise more and more people across Scotland will lose their lives to the scourge of drugs. The SNP have repeatedly said they will look at it ‘favourably’. But that’s not enough: we need action now.”

Scottish Conservative Glasgow MSP Annie Wells added: “I attended this discussion because it’s important that Scotland’s politicians don’t forget about the drug death crisis in the middle of the cost-of-living crisis.

“Communities like mine in Springburn and all over Glasgow are still being devastated by drugs. Every week I hear of more lives being lost and families left suffering in grief.

“I’m fully supportive of the excellent recommendations by FAVOR. The government has dragged its heels and broken its promises. This report is a warning to the SNP that they are still failing Scotland’s most vulnerable.”