Douglas Ross, MSP, has reacted to the news that Scotland's dur deaths are the worst in Europe.
Mr Ross posted to x:
Under the SNP, drug deaths continue to be Scotland’s national shame.
Our thoughts are with all the families grieving a loved one lost to drugs.
Now the SNP must finally back the Right to Recovery Bill to ensure everyone struggling with addiction gets the treatment they need.
Mr Ross also posted a statement from the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party:
These figures are shocking and shameful. Drug deaths continue to be Scotland's national shame on the SNP's watch.
Behind this heartbreaking increase in drug deaths are families grieving the loss of loved ones and my thoughts are with all of them.
Scotland's drug deaths rate is by far the worst in Europe and the SNP's approach is simply not working. Several years ago Nicola Sturgeon admitted she took her eye off the ball on tackling this emergency but deaths have continued to increase since then.
That legacy is still causing huge harm in our most deprived areas, where people living in those communities are 15 times more likely to die than those in the least deprived areas. These awful statistics highlight yet again the urgent need for John Swinney and the SP Government to finally give their backing to the Right to Recovery Bill. I will be making that point with him when we meet next month to discuss the Bill.
If passed it would enshrine in law a right to treatment for all those who need it, including residential rehab, and was written in conjunction with leading experts and has widespread support.
SNP ministers must stop dithering otherwise more people will die and families will suffer the pain of losing a loved one to drugs.
They must respond to these latest figures by confirming that when Parliament returns, the Right to Recovery Bill will become law as soon as possible
Douglas Ross
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives
https://twitter.com/Douglas4Moray/status/1825834081357086808
