Style Over Substance In Bid To Tackle Drug Crisis

When drug death figures were published last year, revealing 1264 people perished in 2019, the Scottish Government was jolted into action.

After years of dancing badly around the issue, it felt like a new day had dawned.

But with the recent announcement of “game-changing” treatment standards for those battling addiction, it’s clear the proverbial ball First Minister Nicola Sturgeon recently apologised for dropping has yet to get off the ground.

People with serious addiction problems should expect to be treated with the same dignity and respect as those suffering from every other medical problem.

Medication assisted treatment (MAT) standards is the trailblazing notion that those with a substance misuse problem should be offered help on the same day they ask for it.

They should have a say on what their treatment looks like.

They should not feel corralled into embarking on a course of treatment they feel they don’t fully understand or don’t want.

And they should not be struck off a prescription by a consultant who doesn’t like the way someone spoke to him.