People's panel recommends action on drug related harms emergency

The panellists’ report recognises that progress has been made, but says that further action is needed. It calls for public campaigns to raise awareness of drug harm and drug use, recommends funding should be ring fenced and prioritised on prevention and seeks improvements in information shared between government agencies.

However, the introduction of the Naloxone programme to prevent fatal drug overdoses, and the opening of the safer drug consumption room, The Thistle, are welcomed in the report.

The panel’s report also calls for greater involvement of the third sector and people with lived experience. It concludes that a lack of urgency in responding to drug harm and use reinforces the stigma already associated with these issues.

The creation of the people’s panel, formed of 23 people, was requested by the Cross-Committee on tackling drug deaths and drug harms. Members of the Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, and Social Justice and Social Security Committee commissioned the panel to gather public views on the question, ‘What does Scotland need to do differently to reduce drug related harms?’. The panel met at the Parliament in October and November 2024.

Over the course of two weekends, members of the panel heard evidence from people with lived experience of drug harms, from academics and researchers, and from stakeholders who work in this area, before developing their report.

The panel’s report will help inform the cross-Committee’s scrutiny of matters related to reducing drug deaths and tackling problem drug use. It’s 19 recommendations cover rights and people’s lived experience, justice, access to treatment, care and support, prevention and harm reduction.

Mairi McIntosh, who was a member of the panel said:

"I found participating in the People's Panel humbling. The team at the Scottish Parliament organised a diverse range of experts and worked hard to lay out the worrying and rapid escalation in drug related deaths and harms in Scotland. 

"All the evidence we heard highlighted the urgency for action from the Scottish government to implement brave and lasting change. 

"I am hopeful that our report shows that as voices from across Scotland, representing different backgrounds and lives, some directly affected by the issues of drug harm and death and others not, that we want the Scottish government to acknowledge the causes and barriers like stigma and discrimination and realise that we cannot afford to not take bold action now."

Reflecting on the publication of the panel’s findings Audrey Nicoll MSP, Convener of the Criminal Justice Committee said:

“We would like to thank the panel for their focused and determined work in delivering this serious and well considered report.

“Our Committees look forward to thoroughly considering the panel’s findings and putting its report’s recommendations to the Scottish Government.”