Scottish Government announces allocation of £50m to tackle drugs crisis

The Scottish Government has announced how it will spend the £50m it has committed to tackling drug addiction and country’s high level of drugs deaths.

This includes money to implement new treatment standards that will ensure everyone gets the same level of support, regardless of where they live in Scotland.

An £14.4m will be invested in frontline services to get more people into treatment and help tackle Scotland’s drugs deaths crisis.

Other investments include £13.3m for alcohol and drugs partnerships, including funding to improve services for children and families; £1m to support third-sector initiatives; £1m to establish a lived and living experience forum and maintaining existing panels; £800,000 for a campaign to tackle the stigma around drug use; and £1.5m for public health surveillance, evaluation, monitoring and research.

With £18m already committed to four separate funds to improve drugs services, the full £50m announced for this year has now been allocated.

Drugs minister Angela Constance said: “This announcement sets out how the £50 million additional funding announced for this year will be spent on improving and saving lives and it is vital that those working on the front-line have the necessary resources to meet the needs of drug users who seek help and their families.

“Much of the additional funding I have announced will support alcohol and drug partnerships and third sector organisations to develop their workforce and improve capacity.

“We want to increase the number of people in treatment and £4 million will go specifically towards the implementation of the new MAT standards which ensure everyone has access to the support which works best for them.

“Same day support will begin to be rolled out from this autumn with all of the standards in place by April next year.

“Over the next five years we will spend £250 million on addressing this crisis, £100 million of which will go on improving the provision of residential rehabilitation and I will update parliament on progress in this area after the summer recess.

“I am determined that every penny of this additional funding will make a difference to all those affected by drug use in Scotland.”