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Ring fence funding and prioritise prevention , urges ‘ people ’ s panel '
Funding to address Scotland ’ s drug harm ‘ public health emergency ’ should be ring fenced and prioritise prevention , says the report from the ‘ people ’ s panel ’ set up to look into the issue last year ( https :// www . drinkanddrugsnews . com / scottish-parliament-seeks-advicefrom-public-on-drug-harms /). A culture change will be needed to address the problem , says the document , which has been sent to MSPs . While the panellists acknowledged that progress had been made – particularly with the country ’ s naloxone programme and the opening of Glasgow ’ s consumption room earlier this month – there was an urgent need for ‘ brave and bold action ’. This should also include public awarenessraising campaigns , better information sharing between government agencies , and more involvement of people with lived experience . ‘ The pay and fair working conditions of people with lived experience needs to be equitable with that of equivalent public sector workers in the drug and alcohol field ,’ the report adds .
A ‘ lack of urgency ’ in responding to drug harms had reinforced the stigma already associated with them , the report states . ‘ The panel strongly believe that the same conversations keep happening , with the same actions being agreed but not enough has been implemented . The panel have concluded that the length of time taken to address this issue is unacceptable .’
The most recent Scottish drug death figures saw a total of almost 1,200 fatalities , with 80 per cent involving an opiate ( DDN , September 2024 , page 4 ). A report from the country ’ s auditor general late last year found that while the Scottish Government had made some progress in implementing treatment standards and increasing residential treatment capacity , it had still been ‘ slow to progress ’ key strategies like its workforce plan .
The people ’ s panel was requested by the crosscommittee on tackling drug deaths and drug harms , and formed after the Scottish Parliament sent letters to 5,000 randomly selected residential addresses . Twenty-three panel members were then selected , who met over the course of two weekends to hear evidence from people working in the sector , people with lived experience , academics , researchers and others .
‘ All the evidence we heard highlighted the urgency for action from the Scottish government to implement brave and lasting change ,’ said panel member Mairi McIntosh . ‘ I am hopeful that our report shows that as voices from across Scotland , representing different backgrounds and lives , some directly affected by the issues of drug harm and death and others not , that we want the Scottish government to acknowledge the causes and barriers like stigma and discrimination and realise that we cannot afford to not take bold action now .’
People ’ s panel on reducing drug harm and deaths in Scotland : final report at https :// www . parliament . scot
The ' people ' s panel ' selected to be broadly representative of the Scottish population . Pic : www . parliament . scot
Xylazine banned Wales considers 65p unit price
XYLAZINE HAS BEEN BANNED AS A CLASS C SUBSTANCE , following a recommendation from the ACMD last year ( DDN , October 2024 , page 5 ). The drug , a non-opioid known as ‘ tranq ’ or ‘ tranq dope ’ in the US – especially when mixed with fentanyl or heroin – has been associated with a range of dangerous side effects , including large skin lesions .
The new legislation sees 22 substances banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act , six of which will now be controlled as class A . A generic definition of nitazenes has also been introduced , designed to stop people circumventing the law by adjusting a substance ’ s composition .
A REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF MUP IN WALES has recommended raising the minimum price from 50p to 65p per unit – as the Scottish Government did last year ( DDN , October 2024 , page 4 ) – in order to ‘ sustain the policy ’ s value and positive impacts ’. MUP came into force in Wales in 2020 , after legislation was passed two years earlier ( DDN , March 2019 , page 5 ).
While assessing the impact of MUP against the backdrop of ‘ the pandemic , persistently high levels of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis ’ had been challenging , said mental health minister
Sarah Murphy , evidence showed that the legislation had ‘ had an impact on the sale of cheap , high-strength alcohol products , with prices increasing . This has resulted in customers purchasing less of this type of product and fewer retailers stocking them .’
However , interviews carried out for the National Survey for Wales and included in the government reports found that – as was the case after MUP was introduced in Scotland ( DDN , July- August 2023 , page 5 ) – some people were cutting back on food and other essentials to buy alcohol .
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