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Tories attack SNP for cutting drugs recovery funding amid rise in narcotics deaths

Douglas Ross.
Douglas Ross.

The SNP cut funding for a drugs recovery fund as Scotland suffered its worst year for narcotics deaths, say the Scottish Conservatives.

More than £250,000 was wiped from the Scottish Government’s flagship drug strategy fund for the 2016/17 justice budget, a cut of 11.3%.

The reduction was revealed a day after the publication of official figures for 2015, which showed annual drugs-related deaths reaching its highest level in Scotland.

Dundee once again had the most drugs deaths in the country in proportion to population, with 36 losing their lives last year.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Douglas Ross said: “It’s incredible that this kind of funding is being reduced at a time when record numbers are losing their lives to drugs.

“If anything, the Scottish Government should be putting more resource into this, not slashing it.

“As the budget document itself states, this is money which makes communities safer and helps charities which get people off drugs.”

Earlier, the Scottish Liberal Democrats said a 20% cut to the drugs services budgets was “indefensible”.

Their health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “It is time drug misuse should be treated as a health issue, rather than a criminal one.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said they are investing £2 million into the Road to Recovery fund this year.

“We have invested over £630 million to tackle problem alcohol and drug use since 2008, and drug use in the general population and among young people is at its lowest level for a decade,” she said.

“We are continuing to tackle the damaging impact of drugs in Scotland, making recovery a reality for individuals, families and communities through our national drugs strategy, the Road to Recovery, and we are confident this is saving lives every day.”