Scottish Government Debate: Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths

Maree Todd S7M-01766 That the Parliament deeply regrets every life lost through alcohol and drugs and offers its sincere condolences to all those who have lost a loved one; agrees that the tragic numbers of deaths from alcohol and drugs in Scotland are preventable and require the Scottish Government to use every lever available to save and improve lives; affirms Scotland’s commitment to a public health and human-rights based approach; supports the expansion of evidence-based harm reduction initiatives as well as the expansion of recovery and rehabilitation both within residential settings and in communities themselves; agrees that an urgent response is required to tackle dangerously potent synthetic opioids and other emerging synthetic drug threats, including through optimising Scotland’s surveillance system and early warning response; further agrees that the Scottish Government should continue to work constructively with the UK Government on substance use policy, noting that the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act currently limits the ability to address all of the challenges faced in Scotland with a full public health approach, and ultimately recognises the crucial role that families play in the support and recovery of those using substances, and agrees, therefore, to work collectively across the Chamber to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience and their families are at the heart of decisions taken. Further details available for S7M-01766 Jackie Baillie S7M-01766.2 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), leave out from “affirms” to "public health approach" and insert "regrets that over 7,000 lives have been lost to drugs since the Scottish Government declared a public health emergency, with drug-related deaths rising in 2025; affirms Scotland’s commitment to a public health and human-rights based approach; supports the expansion of evidence-based harm reduction initiatives as well as the expansion of recovery and rehabilitation both within residential settings and in communities themselves; agrees that an urgent response is required to tackle dangerously potent synthetic opioids and other emerging synthetic drug threats, including through optimising Scotland’s surveillance system and early warning response; further agrees that the Scottish Government should continue to work constructively with the UK Government on substance use policy and tackling the drug gangs, as well as simplifying oversight of substance misuse services; agrees that the Scottish Government should recoup the profits from minimum unit pricing from large retailers to fund frontline rehabilitation services” Further details available for S7M-01766.2 Thomas Kerr S7M-01766.4 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), insert at end "; notes that the drug-misuse death rate, as reported by the National Records of Scotland, is over 10 times higher in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas; regards this as evidence that working-class communities are disproportionately affected by drug-related harm, and agrees that the right to recovery must be considered as part of the efforts to address substance abuse.” Further details available for S7M-01766.4 Gillian Mackay S7M-01766.5 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), insert at end ", and supports the further rollout of safe consumption rooms to other local authority areas as a health-saving intervention." Further details available for S7M-01766.5 Miles Briggs S7M-01766.3 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), leave out from “further agrees” to end and insert “recognises that preventing alcohol and drug deaths requires accessible treatment, effective public health measures and a strong justice response; expresses serious concern at the Scottish Government’s continuing shortcomings in access to treatment; regrets that the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill was not passed and calls for a legal right to timely and clinically appropriate treatment, backed by funded detoxification, residential rehabilitation, community recovery and aftercare; calls for a funded alcohol prevention and treatment plan with published targets and support for effective clinical harm reduction, alongside clear routes into recovery; further calls on the Scottish Government to review the effectiveness of the current methadone treatment provision and to report regularly to Parliament on access to treatment, recovery outcomes and the number of individuals assessed for rehabilitation who are not subsequently admitted to a programme, and agrees that the Scottish Government must use its existing powers, work constructively with the UK Government and involve people affected by addiction, their families and local communities in decisions.” Further details available for S7M-01766.3 Adam Harley S7M-01766.1 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), insert at end "; believes that robust harm reduction measures and rehabilitation services are both vital in saving lives; supports the continued development and evaluation of safer consumption facilities, and calls for predictable multi-year funding for rehabilitation services; supports the expansion of evidence-based medication-assisted treatment, including long-acting opioid substitution therapies where clinically appropriate; recognises the particular challenges faced by individuals experiencing both substance use and mental health problems, calls for improved access to integrated dual-diagnosis support, and acknowledges the often hidden role of families as unpaid carers, advocates and sources of support, recognising the need for appropriate support for families in their own right." Further details available for S7M-01766.1