Scotland and drugs

[Tashyboy]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-48938509

Although Scotland is doing well re knife crime, unfortunately it is not doing so well re drugs.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

That is very disturbing. I didn't see a particular reason or thinking behind why the spike. That is the key to addressing this.

 

[patricks148]

That is very disturbing. I didn't see a particular reason or thinking behind why the spike. That is the key to addressing this.

its been a problem for a long time, when i was at University in Edinburgh in the late 80's/Early 90's it was particularly bad for Heroin in the city.

Years neglect in some of the inner cities in Scotland through the 70's 80 and into the 90's, its little surprise TBH

 

[Lord Tyrion]

its been a problem for a long time, when i was at University in Edinburgh in the late 80's/Early 90's it was particularly bad for Heroin in the city.

Years neglect in some of the inner cities in Scotland through the 70's 80 and into the 90's, its little surprise TBH

Parts have had a reputation for a while, same as with certain cities in England. The jump is the worrying part though.

 

[patricks148]

a few have been saying it for year, time to look at Drug use in a different way and how we tackle it.

Its pretty desperate life, all sorts of factors involved. Even a few of the small villages up here have real problems...

something radical needs to be done, none of the current deterrents work

 

[Crazyface]

And what have they done? Set up a task force to see if what is in place is right! Which it obviously isn't. Not change anything!

 

[Blue in Munich]

And what have they done? Set up a task force to see if what is in place is right! Which it obviously isn't. Not change anything!

So as you know the answer what is it then?

 

[pendodave]

a few have been saying it for year, time to look at Drug use in a different way and how we tackle it.

Its pretty desperate life, all sorts of factors involved. Even a few of the small villages up here have real problems...

something radical needs to be done, none of the current deterrents work

Agreed. I'm imagining that not many do this through choice, which is why the idea of a 'deterrent' will never work.
Why don't I do drugs? Because I have an interesting and enjoyable life. Too many don't.

Incidentally, before jumping to all sorts of conclusions, I would wonder about the stats. They probably aren't collected the same way as in other countries (including England), and they may even have changed the reporting mechanism in Scotland. Not to deny the seriousness of course.

 

[patricks148]

Agreed. I'm imagining that not many do this through choice, which is why the idea of a 'deterrent' will never work.
Why don't I do drugs? Because I have an interesting and enjoyable life. Too many don't.

Incidentally, before jumping to all sorts of conclusions, I would wonder about the stats. They probably aren't collected the same way as in other countries (including England), and they may even have changed the reporting mechanism in Scotland. Not to deny the seriousness of course.

Definitely, Many want to decriminalise and get the criminal element out of it and take the risk out supply, seen a fair few high up in the police and medical profession back this. in fact an Ex CC in Police Scotland who now is involved in Drug Rehab was on the TV this morning calling for this as what we do at the moment just isn't working.

I don't have the answers, but banging Drug addicts up in prisons rife with Drugs isn't working.

 

[Robster59]

I've never done drugs, never seen the point in it as why let something like that control your life but my other half has worked with groups with high drug usage and you see that so much of it is peer pressure, a quick try, using cannabis (none addictive my backside!) and some move on to something stronger. There's an awful lot of it in the towns in Ayrshire where the industry has gone and there is less work so some people just seem to use it as an escape.
I can't tell you the answer as I don't know it. Most of the people who push it are addicts themselves trying to feed their habit and, in reality, don't care who they sell it to so long as they can get their next hit. The big bosses totally keep themselves away from the dirty end of it and let the poor junkies take the punishment. I have a friend who worked as a cleaner at a hotel and after every party the sink tops where full of coke (apparently a bleach cleaning spray makes it go red). It's cheap and readily available and the people who smoke cannabis or sniff coke don't really think they're doing anything wrong.
I can't say I'm in favour of legalising it as where do you stop? It's like Scotland reducing the drink-drive limit. It hit the pubs, clubs and restaurants but those who drink drove before continue to do so.
But I do know it is a major issue in Scotland.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Seems strange
I have always thought there was connection between drugs use and crime.
Crime figures in Scotland are dropping but deaths from drug use is going up.
To me it seems to be the richer folk are doing more drugs with a higher mortality rate.
If not, how do the down and outs afford to buy the stuff.
Perhaps the cost of buying drugs is dropping which indicates less use/demand.

 

[ColchesterFC]

Maybe knife crime is dropping because the population is so smacked off their heads that they are incapable of holding, let alone using, a knife. They're only interested in holding a spoon to get their next hit and it's very difficult, but not impossible, to stab someone with a spoon.

 

[KenL]

I do wonder if introducing the minimum unit price for alcohol has meant people with a need have moved to drugs because they are now cheaper?

SNP Gov will do nothing apart from blaming Westminster as the only thing they care about is Indyref2 :-(

 

[Tashyboy]

I do wonder if introducing the minimum unit price for alcohol has meant people with a need have moved to drugs because they are now cheaper?

SNP Gov will do nothing apart from blaming Westminster as the only thing they care about is Indyref2 :-(

Now there's a thought re drugs and alcohol pricing. 🤔

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I do wonder if introducing the minimum unit price for alcohol has meant people with a need have moved to drugs because they are now cheaper?

SNP Gov will do nothing apart from blaming Westminster as the only thing they care about is Indyref2 :-(

Really, how desperate does that sound against the reality that drug control laws are not devolved and Westminster has blocked some sensible Scottish government plans on drug control.

 

[Tashyboy]

Really, how desperate does that sound against the reality that drug control laws are not devolved and Westminster has blocked some sensible Scottish government plans on drug control.

An opinion is desperate.😳 Never heard that before. I actually thought he had a point.

 

[patricks148]

An opinion is desperate.😳 Never heard that before. I actually thought he had a point.

you would be wrong Drug laws are not devolved and are still made by Westminster, there have been attempts to change it for Scotland but blocked

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Really, how desperate does that sound against the reality that drug control laws are not devolved and Westminster has blocked some sensible Scottish government plans on drug control.

So it’s all the fault of Westminster?
If that were the case, the UK as a whole would be at the top of Europe’s drug deaths list, not Scotland with 3 times the number of the rest of the UK as a whole.

 

[patricks148]

So it’s all the fault of Westminster?
If that were the case, the UK as a whole would be at the top of Europe’s drug deaths list, not Scotland with 3 times the number of the rest of the UK as a whole.

what he means is They have been talking about decriminalising some, but they don't have those powers they are not devolved

 

[Bunkermagnet]

what he means is They have been talking about decriminalising some, but they don't have those powers they are not devolved

But the situation is exactly the same in the rest of the UK, and Scotland is still 3 times more than the rest of the UK.
There has to be other reasons.