L’Écosse affiche la plus forte mortalité liée aux drogues en Europe, aggravée par la montée des opioïdes synthétiques, le sous-financement des services et de longs délais, au cœur d’un débat sur la décriminalisation.

The example is in English to help you practice 😉

The Crisis

Scotland has Europe's worst drug death crisis. Over 1100 drug-related deaths in 2023.

The crisis is rooted in poverty, deindustrialisation, and decades of punitive drug policies. It has been declared a public health emergency by the Scottish Government.

Why Scotland?

Historical Context

1980s > bad timing > heroin epidemic + job losses and industrial decline.

Due to UK regulations, addiction has been seen and treated as a criminal issue rather than a health problem for decades.

Current Challenges

The rise in popularity of synthetic opioids = stronger, cheaper, and more dangerous drugs. The UK-wide Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) restricts the extent of Scotland's policies.

Limited access to treatment: Only around 40% of people with problem drug use are in treatment. Barriers include:

• Underfunding & capacity limits - service quality & accessibility vary depending on the region.
• **Long **waiting times.
• Services not adapted to the complex, case-by-case needs of people.
• Stigma and fear of criminalisation, along with distrust in services, push people away from seeking treatment.

Consequences

Neonatal abstinence syndrome

Over 1,500 babies born dependent on substances since 2017.

Mental toll on people and families devastated by deaths around them.

Position of the Main Political Parties

SNP: Push for supervised drug consumption facilities and decriminalisation; demand that devolved powers be transferred from Westminster.

Labour: Supportive of a health-first approach, but less clear on full decriminalisation.

Conservatives: Sceptical of radical reform.

Greens: Strongest advocates of decriminalisation and systemic reform.

Let's Reflect on That

To help you remember, here are a few questions you can reflect on and discuss with your friends. This could help you feeling more confident during a colle or when finding a leading question.

• Is drug addiction primarily a matter of personal responsibility, or is it the result of systemic failures in policy, healthcare, and social support?
• How much of the crisis is driven by inequality?
• What responsibility do governments have to prevent cycles of addiction that pass from parents to children?

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