Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 30 January 2020
30 Jan 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Drugs and Alcohol
I am going to make some progress, but I will come back to the member.
Tackling the harms has to include addressing the underlying reasons for those addictions. Previously, we have focused too much on addressing the substances rather than the individual. Going forward, we must be more person centred in all approaches to treatment, but there are contributory factors that remain outwith an individual’s control. We know that people who experience socioeconomic disadvantage experience problematic use. The recent burden of disease study found that the overall burden for drug use disorders was 17 times higher in deprived areas. Both of our strategies identified that tackling poverty and inequality is central to reducing harmful use of alcohol and drugs. Suffering adverse childhood experiences also significantly increases the likelihood of lifetime illicit drug use and drug dependency, and it increases the chances of early alcohol use. The evidence for that is clear.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-20635, in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on drugs and alcohol: preventing and reducing harms. I call Joe Fi...
The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick)
SNP
November 2018 saw the publication of two key strategy documents that were aimed at reducing the harm that is associated with alcohol and drugs. Those documen...
Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
I am going to make some progress, but I will come back to the member. Tackling the harms has to include addressing the underlying reasons for those addictio...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
Will the minister take an intervention?
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
I am going to make some progress. I will come back to the member if there is time. Understanding and addressing the impact of adverse childhood experience...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister give way?
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
As I said, I will make progress and, if there is time, I will give way once I have got through the important matters that I have to cover. On Tuesday, NHS H...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister give way on that point?
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
As I said, I want to make progress. I want to update the chamber on the task force’s work, which is the next item that I will cover. I asked the Young Scot ...
Neil Findlay
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
As I said, I will outline some of the work of the task force, which I know members are keen to hear about. There will be plenty of time for debate later. Th...
Alex Cole-Hamilton
LD
Will the minister take an intervention?
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
Time is limited, and I am covering the actions of the task force—there is a lot to get through.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Actually, there is some time in hand—for all members—for interventions.
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
I think that time is going to be tight for my speech. If there is time—
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Do not look so pleased, Mr Cole-Hamilton.
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
We continue to develop initiatives to enable people—
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Bear with me, minister. It is a matter for members, but I do not want members all round the chamber to feel that they are under time pressure, because there ...
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
Presiding Officer, that is good, but my challenge is to get through the range of actions that the task force is taking, because that is what I want to update...
David Stewart
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
No, the minister—
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
I am really tight for time.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Bear with me. Minister, you really must conclude.
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
I am almost there, Presiding Officer. We need to get that mapping done and get evidence of the demand, as we need to know that we are using resources in the...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I am sorry, minister, but you must move the motion. You are over time by nearly two minutes.
Joe FitzPatrick
SNP
In moving the motion, I emphasise that the harms of alcohol and other drugs impact on us all. It is really important that we work together on this vital work...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Last year, 1,187 people died. I say to the minister that that is the evidence. The last time that the issue of drugs was debated in Parliament in the Govern...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I wish that we did not need to have this debate. Nothing that we can say will heal the hearts of people who are affected by the harms and losses that we are ...
Alex Cole-Hamilton
LD
I agree with everything that Monica Lennon has said so far. Does she agree that the delays that are being witnessed as a result of the toxicology reports bei...