Scotland's drug addiction problem can't be left to run riot
Addiction can't be left to run riot
Scotland has been ravaged by drugs – more than almost any other nation on the planet.
But drug campaigners are warning in today's Daily Record that our drug deaths epidemic is getting worse.
The affliction, over decades, has taken many thousands of lives, wiping out a generation of users in communities where hope is in short supply.
A Scottish Government focus came too late following a rash of cuts in alcohol and drugs services.
We can now clearly see the better days ahead that were envisaged were a mirage.
The first three months of 2025 brought a 15 per cent rise in overdose deaths, which is hard to fathom when the death rate is already the highest in Europe.
Now, a rise in the use of synthetic drugs, 500 times more potent than heroin, means more heartbreak.
A report has warned the use of super-strong nitazenes mixed with other street drugs are creating a deadly cocktail.
And now community workers are reporting the situation on the ground is getting hopeless with drug deaths soaring out of control.
Amid all the grief and despair, the burning question is why people continue to take drugs that have killed their friends, brothers and sisters.
The answer commonly given is the biggest tragedy of all – many feel they have so little to live for that they don't care if they live or die.
That's why Scotland must redouble its efforts to support those at greatest risk of addiction and the harms that follow.
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted her Scottish government 'took their eye off the ball' on drug deaths.
She and her successors have promised to treat the epidemic as a political priority.
John Swinney and drugs minister Maree Todd must listen to the people in devastated communities reporting a new wave of drug deaths.
More importantly, they must act with decisive speed to halt this tragic tide.
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Keir's mis-step
Keir Starmer's decision for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state is a move that should be welcomed.
Statehood is overdue and would help ensure Palestine is treated as an equal partner in the Middle East.
But the UK Government saying it will only recognise a Palestinian state if Israel does not stop the suffering in Gaza was the wrong move. Statehood should not be conditional.
A better approach would be to recognise statehood as part of a drive towards a 'two-state solution' to what seems like an eternal conflict.
Sir Keir Starmer and his allies in Europe can play a big part in making that long-term solution a reality.
But using Palestinian statehood as a threat to the Israelis is not the way to bring peace.
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