The ‘war on drugs’ approach should be scrapped and instead, decriminalisation should be introduced, the Scottish Greens have said. The party wants drugs and drug deaths to be dealt with as a public health issue rather than a criminal justice matter. Scotland has had a record number of drug deaths in recent years and the latest figures showed Glasgow hit its highest total ever.
READ NEXT: Man tells of rats and mice in city centre homeless hotel In 2023 there were 303 suspected drug deaths in Greater Glasgow a rise of 41% from the figure for the year before when it was 214. The Glasgow rise is far higher than across Scotland where almost 1200 suspected deaths were recorded. The Greens are arguing the strategy has failed and it will include decriminalisation in its General Election manifesto.
Patrick Harvie Greens co-leader and Glasgow MSP said reform has been too slow. He said: “Far too many lives have been impacted by a system that is doing more harm than good. Successive governments have stuck to the same failed policies for far too long, and the human cost has been terrible.
“Every death from drug misuse is an avoidable human tragedy, but the bold reform we need has been held back by a stubborn and dogmatic Tory approach and a preference for fighting constitutional battles rather than providing help and support to people who need it.” READ NEXT: My story from New York fashion scene to Glasgow Homeless hotel Harvie said rather than punishment people need treatment. .
