The Scottish government says the war on drugs has “failed” and it’s time to decriminalize currently illegal substances, while promoting harm reduction services such as overdose prevention centres.
At a press conference on Friday July 7, Scotland’s Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, Elena Whitham, called on the government of the United Kingdom, of which Scotland is a part, to adopt a public health approach to drug addiction and to abandon the model of criminalization.
Representatives of the British Prime Minister – and even the country’s Progressive Party – have already rejected this request.
Call for decriminalization
Scotland’s position on the issue is partly supported by a policy paper released the same day, which sets out the country’s position on decriminalization and related issues.
As well as ending the ban on personal possession of controlled substances, Scotland is calling for the legalization of safe drug use centres, greater access to naloxone, a drug to reverse overdoses, and the authorization to expand drug testing services to mitigate the risk of contamination in the illicit market.
“These are ambitious and sweeping, evidence-based proposals that will help save lives,” said Elena Whitham. “We want to create a society where problematic drug use is treated as a health issue, not a criminal issue, thereby reducing stigma and discrimination and enabling the person to recover and contribute positively to society. . »
Decriminalization of all drugs for personal supply is one of a number of polices which the Scottish Government is calling on the UK Government to implement in a new paper on drug law reform. #DrugLawReform
Read more: https://t.co/wvcxKO2RVg pic.twitter.com/Txp7sVsnad
— Scot Gov Health (@scotgovhealth) July 7, 2023
“We know these proposals will spark debate, but they are consistent with our approach to public health and would contribute to our national mission to improve and save lives,” the minister said. “We are working hard within the powers we have to reduce drug deaths and, although we still have a long way to go, our approach is simply at odds with the law of Westminster in which we have to operate.
The report and Friday’s announcement comes almost four years after Scotland’s ruling party approved a resolution backing the decriminalization of drugs in Scotland.
UK rejection
But the British government in Westminster was quick to reject the reform proposal. Asked if Scotland’s request to review drug laws could be granted, a spokesman for the Prime Minister told STV News the answer was “no”.
The representative said that, although he has not seen Scotland’s report on decriminalisation, “I am confident enough to say that there are no plans to change our tough stance on drugs”.
This is not particularly surprising, with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak making it clear that he was aligning himself with the drug criminalization model, saying the government would step up the fight against drugs, implying a ” reinforcement” of the police force and the prohibition of nitrous oxide.
💊 Crackdown on drugs.
We’ve strengthened police powers to stamp out illegal drugs in our communities by widening drugs testing on criminals. pic.twitter.com/KsHO9HTlJ1
—Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 3, 2023
Senior Labor official Rachel Reeves also said Scotland’s proposal was unlikely to go ahead.
“I don’t think it’s good policy,” she said. “I find it quite staggering that this is a priority for the Scottish Government,” amid unrelated government controversy.
The Scottish Department of Drugs and Alcohol Policy report calls for ‘changes to the legal framework within which Scotland responds to the drug death crisis, to enable us to tailor policy decisions to our particular challenges.
“The overriding ambition of the Scottish Government’s national mission is to reduce deaths and improve lives. “Our goal is that no one becomes dependent on substances, but if they do, they are supported and not criminalized for this condition. »
“These goals will continue to guide our drugs policy, whatever legal framework we operate within, and we will work tirelessly to reduce drug harm within Scotland’s devolved powers,” continues the document. “We can and will do much more to reduce deaths and improve living conditions within these powers. »
