Tackling our 'shameful' drug death crisis will be priority

Yousaf pledge as Labour MSP claims SNP leadership candidates are ignoring the issue

- CHRIS McCALL

HUMZA Yousaf has pledged to continue the fight against Scotland’s drug death crisis if he becomes the next first minister.

The Health Secretary, one of three people vying to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader, admitted it was “shameful” how many Scots addicts lose their lives each year.

In an interview with the Record, Yousaf said he was committed to retaining a dedicated drugs policy minister who reports directly to the FM.

The position was created by Sturgeon in 2020 after it was revealed that Scotland once again had the highest number of drugs deaths in Europe per head of population.

Asked if he accepted the Scottish Government had failed to lower drugs deaths, Yousaf said: “I think we’ve got to be honest and say that we’ve not done as much as I think society would expect us to do.

“So I think these are complex challenges but Scotland’s drugs death record is a shameful one.”

The Record has led the way in calling for the decriminalisation of drugs and a concerted effort to increase access to rehabilitation and support services.

It comes after years of warnings from charities and addiction experts that too few Scots are able to get the help they need to kick their habits.