A PACKAGE of over £2 million to tackle a drugs death crisis which has left Scotland topping Europe’s grimmest league table has been unveiled in Holyrood.

Data released earlier this week showed 1,017 people were killed by drugs in Scotland last year, a 13 per cent fall on 2023, but a figure that still leaves the country with the highest drug mortality rates in Europe, a rate between two and three times higher than anywhere else in the UK.

Addressing the issue on Thursday, SNP drugs minister Maree Todd focussed on prevention, pledging £1.1m in new cash to the Aberlour Children’s Charity perinatal support and recovery services, £750,000 for the Corra Foundation to improve access to recovery and support services, and a further £750,000 for the “Winning Scotland’s Planet Youth” initiative which focuses on supporting young people to make health choices.

She told MSPs: “It is welcome that we have seen progress with the number of deaths at the lowest level since 2017, but these tragic drug deaths figures remind us, however, that there is much more to do.

“While there is nothing we can do to bring back those whose lives have been so tragically cut short, nor to ease the unimaginable grief that their loved ones must feel, we will continue to do all we can to end the devastating impacts of drugs in Scotland.”

“Let us work together, share ideas and confront challenges and go forward with an wavering commitment to stop deaths, reduce harm and improve lives.”

Unimpressed, Scottish Labour’s Dame Jackie Baillie said: “The minister referred to the progress with the figures. In truth progress has been far too slow. One thousand and seventeen people lost their lives to drugs last year, and over 6,000 since the Scottish government declared a public health emergency six years ago.

“Funding for alcohol and drugs partnerships amounts to a real terms cut and that is having an impact to local projects in turn being cut.”

Calling for a timeline for the rollout of facilities such as Glasgow’s Thistle safer drug consumption room to places such as Dundee in her North East of Scotland constituency, Scottish Green MSP, Maggie Chapman said: “It is right that prevention is a priority, tackling poverty, inequality, deprivation, trauma and alienation, but there is an urgent need to expand lifesaving services such as the Thistle.”