Scotland's drug addiction problem can't be left to run riot
Addiction can't be left to run riot
Scotland has been ravaged by drugs – more than almost any other nation on the planet.
But drug campaigners are warning in today's Daily Record that our drug deaths epidemic is getting worse.
The affliction, over decades, has taken many thousands of lives, wiping out a generation of users in communities where hope is in short supply.
A Scottish Government focus came too late following a rash of cuts in alcohol and drugs services.
We can now clearly see the better days ahead that were envisaged were a mirage.
The first three months of 2025 brought a 15 per cent rise in overdose deaths, which is hard to fathom when the death rate is already the highest in Europe.
Now, a rise in the use of synthetic drugs, 500 times more potent than heroin, means more heartbreak.
A report has warned the use of super-strong nitazenes mixed with other street drugs are creating a deadly cocktail.
And now community workers are reporting the situation on the ground is getting hopeless with drug deaths soaring out of control.
Amid all the grief and despair, the burning question is why people continue to take drugs that have killed their friends, brothers and sisters.
The answer commonly given is the biggest tragedy of all – many feel they have so little to live for that they don't care if they live or die.
That's why Scotland must redouble its efforts to support those at greatest risk of addiction and the harms that follow.
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted her Scottish government 'took their eye off the ball' on drug deaths.
She and her successors have promised to treat the epidemic as a political priority.
John Swinney and drugs minister Maree Todd must listen to the people in devastated communities reporting a new wave of drug deaths.
More importantly, they must act with decisive speed to halt this tragic tide.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Keir's mis-step
Keir Starmer's decision for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state is a move that should be welcomed.
Statehood is overdue and would help ensure Palestine is treated as an equal partner in the Middle East.
But the UK Government saying it will only recognise a Palestinian state if Israel does not stop the suffering in Gaza was the wrong move. Statehood should not be conditional.
A better approach would be to recognise statehood as part of a drive towards a 'two-state solution' to what seems like an eternal conflict.
Sir Keir Starmer and his allies in Europe can play a big part in making that long-term solution a reality.
But using Palestinian statehood as a threat to the Israelis is not the way to bring peace.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cambrian News
an hour ago
- Cambrian News
Qualified paramedics being 'wasted' in Wales
According to figures from Health Secretary Jeremy Miles - outlined in a letter to Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds - only 20 of 67 paramedic graduates in Wales this year will be hired, despite the Welsh Ambulance Service requesting 86 Paramedics to be trained and paid for through Welsh Government funding.
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Faye Winter tells of ‘terrifying' weeks before Love Island due to botched Botox
It comes as ministers announce plans to cut down on 'cowboy' cosmetic procedures by introducing new restrictions on who can access and provide treatments. Winter, 30, who appeared on the ITV dating show in 2021, said the Government is taking 'a massive step in the right direction' and added that the NHS should not be covering the cost of corrective treatment for botched surgeries. Speaking about the weeks leading up to her Love Island appearance, she told ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB): 'It was pretty terrifying. I wanted to look a certain way. I wanted to look the best version of myself, knowing that I was going on national television. 'I went to somebody to do my Botox that I hadn't been to before, and he told me that he was medically trained. I believed him, as so many of us do. 'I later found out that he was a property developer, and he had put too much Botox into my forehead, meaning my full forehead just had nothing in it. I couldn't move it and it was fully relaxed. 'It was paralysed, and I literally had to wait it out, not knowing if it (the feeling) was or wasn't going to come back.' Winter explained that her forehead 'had relaxed' and that her eyelids and eyebrows had 'drooped'. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said that steps will be taken to protect people from 'rogue operators' with no medical training who often provide 'invasive' procedures in homes, hotels and pop-up clinics. The DHSC also said the move to introduce new restrictions will reduce the cost imposed on the NHS to fix botched procedures. Winter added: 'I think obviously it's a massive step in the right direction. This is only for four years I've been speaking about (it). 'So for the Government to even acknowledge it is amazing. But there's also parts of it that I do think, where they say, you know licences… what are they going to look like? 'Does somebody just need a passport number at a UK address and they still get a licence? We don't know what that quite looks like yet, and I think it's really important that we know those finer details.' Speaking on whether the NHS should pay for corrective treatments, she said: 'I don't think that we as taxpayers should be paying for that. I never asked anybody to pay for my correction work, and that was on me, and I had to learn the hard way.' Winter was on series seven of the ITV dating show Love Island and was seen coupling up with Teddy Soares. Before the proposed regulations come into force, the Government has urged people seeking cosmetic procedures to ask for the provider's qualifications and insurance, and to be wary of 'suspiciously cheap' offers. It comes after health officials launched an investigation after a number of people had reactions to Botox injections earlier this year.
STV News
3 hours ago
- STV News
Faye Winter tells of ‘terrifying' weeks before Love Island due to botched Botox
Reality TV star Faye Winter has said it was 'pretty terrifying' to be subject to botched Botox treatment in the weeks leading up to her stint on Love Island. It comes after Scottish and UK ministers announced plans to cut down on 'cowboy' cosmetic procedures by introducing new restrictions on who can access and provide treatments. Winter, 30, who appeared on the STV dating show in 2021, said the Government is taking 'a massive step in the right direction' and added that the NHS should not be covering the cost of corrective treatment for botched surgeries. Speaking about the weeks leading up to her Love Island appearance, she told STV's Good Morning Britain (GMB): 'It was pretty terrifying. I wanted to look a certain way. I wanted to look the best version of myself, knowing that I was going on national television. 'I went to somebody to do my Botox that I hadn't been to before, and he told me that he was medically trained. I believed him, as so many of us do. 'I later found out that he was a property developer, and he had put too much Botox into my forehead, meaning my full forehead just had nothing in it. I couldn't move it and it was fully relaxed. 'It was paralysed, and I literally had to wait it out, not knowing if it (the feeling) was or wasn't going to come back.' Winter explained that her forehead 'had relaxed' and that her eyelids and eyebrows had 'drooped'. The Scottish Government has said it will take steps to crack down on 'cowboy' Botox, fillers and cosmetic surgery procedures. The plans mean dermal fillers and the use of Botox will have to be supervised by a qualified healthcare professional, while 'breast and buttock augmentations' must be carried out by a qualified professional and won't be available to under 18s. The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has also said that steps will be taken to protect people from 'rogue operators' with no medical training who often provide 'invasive' procedures in homes, hotels and pop-up clinics. The DHSC also said the move to introduce new restrictions will reduce the cost imposed on the NHS to fix botched procedures. Winter added: 'I think obviously it's a massive step in the right direction. This is only for four years I've been speaking about (it). 'So for the Government to even acknowledge it is amazing. But there's also parts of it that I do think, where they say, you know licences… what are they going to look like? 'Does somebody just need a passport number at a UK address and they still get a licence? We don't know what that quite looks like yet, and I think it's really important that we know those finer details.' Speaking on whether the NHS should pay for corrective treatments, she said: 'I don't think that we as taxpayers should be paying for that. I never asked anybody to pay for my correction work, and that was on me, and I had to learn the hard way.' Winter was on series seven of the STV dating show Love Island and was seen coupling up with Teddy Soares. Before the proposed regulations come into force, the Government has urged people seeking cosmetic procedures to ask for the provider's qualifications and insurance, and to be wary of 'suspiciously cheap' offers. It comes after health officials launched an investigation after a number of people had reactions to Botox injections earlier this year. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
