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JOHN Swinney has ‘raised a white flag in the drugs war’ after claiming that decriminalisation is part of the answer to soaring deaths.
The First Minister yesterday said legalising the possession of drugs for personal use is one of the measures which should be considered in response to an 11 per cent increase in the number of drug deaths last year.
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which → see → deaths
He made the comments after coming under fire from opponents for his ‘indefensible’ record following outrage at the 1,133 people who died last year.
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who → make → people
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: ‘The SNP’s weak policies have been a major contributing factor in Scotland’s appalling drugs death toll.
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policies → say → toll
‘It’s clear that John Swinney is determined to ignore the evidence and keep pushing so-called harm reduction policies at the expense of giving addicts the help they need and cracking down on parasitical crime gangs.
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they → ’ → gangs
‘To the dismay of bereaved families, he has effectively raised a white flag in the drugs war, which inevitably means that even more people will die.’
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people → bereave → war
Legislation for the misuse of drugs is reserved to Westminster and makes it an offence to be caught with controlled Class A, B or C drugs.
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it → reserve → drugs
John Swinney came under pressure at PMQs from Tory leader Russell Findlay after drugs deaths surged by 11 per cent last year.
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deaths → come → cent
The SNP Government has been pushing the UK Government for several years to provide it with further powers in this area.
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Government → push → area
Speaking to journalists at Holyrood yesterday, Mr Swinney said: ‘The Government does support that position that there is an argument for decriminalisation of drugs for personal use.
‘
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Government → speak → use
I think it would be part of the range of measures that we could take to reduce the harm of drugs and to provide us with the situation where there is more control and an ability to provide greater support to individuals who are affected by drug use.
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who → think → use
‘It’s obviously an issue that requires further consideration but the Government supports that.’
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Government → ’ → that
Asked if he thinks families impacted by drug deaths would support the move, he said: ‘I have to take the approach that I judge to be necessary.
‘
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I → ask → approach
We have engaged extensively with families to listen with care to the issues that they think the government needs to confront in taking forward this agenda.
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government → engage → agenda
I’ve set out to parliament extensively the steps that we’ve taken and the engagement that we have had and I think the range of those measures is testing to the limits what we can do here.
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we → set → what
‘The Thistle consumption facility is testing very much to the limits what we can do in Scotland.
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we → test → Scotland
I think it’s an illustration of the utilisation of our devolved powers and the scope and flexibility that we have available to us.
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we → think → us
In his first First Minister’s Questions as Scottish Labour leader, Michael Marra said the number of deaths ‘demands a change of course’ from the Scottish Government, and said its response has been ‘a complacent disgrace’.
Mr Marra highlighted that drug deaths in Scotland skyrocketed to more than two and a half times the rate in England despite having the same drug laws, and said: ‘This is your record, First Minister.
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This → say → laws
He highlighted that Nicola Sturgeon declared the figures ‘indefensible’ six years ago, and added: ‘If it was indefensible then, what on earth is it now?
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it → highlight → earth
Over 7,000 people have lost their lives since this Scottish Government declared a public health emergency.
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Government → lose → emergency
We cannot go on like this.’
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We → go → this
He also pledged to work with the First Minister if he changes course and brings in a new plan to tackle the crisis.
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he → pledge → crisis
Mr Swinney said the level of drug deaths is ‘unacceptable and intolerable’ and that he asked for a review of the approach to drugs in February after being warned of a likely increase in deaths.
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he → say → deaths
He said the rises are down to ‘intergenerational poverty and trauma’ and an upsurge in the use of ‘grossly harmful synthetics’.
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rises → say → synthetics
He added: ‘I welcome Mr Marra’s willingness to engage with the Government on this question issue and I will ensure that that is taken forward and there will be dialogue on this question.’
Reform UK’s Scottish leader Malcolm Offord highlighted soaring a homelessness crisis, endemic child poverty, plummeting education standards and the worst drug deaths in Europe as ‘John Swinney’s Scotland in 2026’, and claimed he has ‘no remorse’.
He also accused the First Minister of ‘demonstrating his priorities’ by forcing a two-and-a-half hour debate on independence then failing to show up for a half hour ministerial statement on drug deaths.
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He → add → deaths
Mr Swinney said: ‘I ask people to make their own judgement about me around the country.
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I → say → country
I serve in office to improve the lives of people in Scotland, that’s what I get up every morning to try to do.
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I → serve → what
‘I have to face the realities of the country that I lead today.’
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I → have → that
Mr Findlay highlighted that drug deaths in Glasgow have increased since the opening of the drug consumption room pilot, and urged him to scrap it and spend the money on rehabilitation instead.
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deaths → highlight → rehabilitation
He said: ‘The SNP’s failed approach traps addicts in a life of misery, sending thousands to an early grave by pedalling the lie that inherently dangerous drugs can be taken safely.’
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drugs → say → lie
He also highlighted that when asked if she was doing a good job, Drugs Minister Maree Todd said it was ‘an impossible question to answer’ and condemned her record in the post.
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it → highlight → post
Mr Swinney said: ‘The Drugs Minister is taking forward a really difficult responsibility, and she is doing it with sincerity and grace, as I would expect her to do, and with a focus on taking forward the necessary action.’
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her → say → action
Following First Minister’s Questions yesterday, Reform UK announced it has lodged a motion of no confidence in Drugs Minister Maree Todd because ‘bereaved families want someone in government to finally be held accountable’.
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someone → follow → government
Mr Swinney later said that he ‘accepts full responsibility for everything that happens in the name of my government’ and said he is ‘satisfied’ with his strategy as ‘the strongest set of propositions we can put in place to tackle the issue of drug use within our society within the current powers that we have available to us’ but insisted he is willing to consider any other suggestions.
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he → say → suggestions
The Aporia
