Chamber
Plenary, 28 May 2002
28 May 2002 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Drug Misuse in North-East Scotland
The most dramatic part of the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee's inquiry into drug misuse in deprived communities is between pages 42 and 47 of the report, and I refer members to those pages. Maps of Scotland and the regions of Scotland are used to show comparisons of general acute hospital admissions for drug misuse in Scotland in 1990 and 1999. Those maps show how drug misuse has spread to every part of Scotland and how it has increased dramatically in the north-east, as it has done in Fife, which I represent.
No one denies the particular character of drug misuse in the north-east, particularly in Fraserburgh—or the Broch. When I stood for Parliament there in 1974, alcohol was the main problem in the area. It has been targeted by drug dealers because of the amount of money that the fishermen earn. There are now 450 heroin addicts in Fraserburgh—that is 2 per cent of the population.
I congratulate Mr Lochhead on securing the debate. He was right to emphasise the importance of waiting times for referrals and for getting on the methadone programme. Anyone who knows anything about addiction knows that it is crucial to catch addicts when they have reached rock bottom, when they have had enough and they want to get into recovery. They have to be got into treatment at that stage. If that moment is missed, the addict is likely to relapse and get back into the cycle of addiction.
I pay tribute to the general practitioners and pharmacists throughout Scotland and the work that they do, particularly on methadone programmes. During the inquiry, I visited a pharmacist in Torry who had an unusually large number of addicts on his books. He was providing a social and public service. Although shoplifting in his pharmacy was up by 2 or 3 per cent, he thought it was his role to help addicts. If an addict came into his shop who seemed to have health difficulties, the pharmacist would alert the medical authorities or refer the addict to a doctor.
We must have more community and day programmes. I have three or four brief points I wish to make about residential treatment. Most residential treatment is based on the 12-step programme of intensive group therapy. Addicts are isolated from the outside world. That is how the 12-step programme is most effective. Addicts are taken away from the people with whom they have used and from the places where they have used. We desperately need more residential care places. However, I am not necessarily saying that addicts from Aberdeen should go to a treatment centre in Aberdeen. It might well be better for them to go a treatment centre in the Borders, and for addicts from the Borders to come to a treatment centre in Aberdeen.
Secondly, if treatment is going to be effective, addicts must be given the opportunity to build up so-called clean time. If someone is to build up clean time, they will have to spend between six weeks and six months in intensive treatment and then they should go to a halfway house, where they can work towards the crucial stage of being clean for a year. Halfway houses are crucial; otherwise money spent on residential treatment may well be wasted.
Thirdly, funding must be more easily obtainable. There was an addict in Buckhaven in my constituency. His mother was very brave. She fought to get funding from the local health board and local authority so that her son could go to the Links project in Leith. She was meeting his dealers on the high street and they were asking her when he was coming back. The last place he wanted to come back to was Buckhaven. He went to a halfway house down south.
I also want the minister to respond to a point on the care home regulations and their impact on residential treatment. Another key aspect of residential treatment is that addicts should spend as little time as possible on their own. Addicts should not be staying in single rooms. In the most effective treatment centres in the United Kingdom, such as Clouds House in Wiltshire, or in the United States—Cottonwood de Tucson and Sierra Tucson—people share rooms. That helps to make treatment effective and we do not want those care home regulations having a detrimental impact on residential treatment.
Finally, I am glad that Mr Lochhead mentioned alcohol. It should have been mentioned in the previous debate. The Parliament is too ambivalent about alcohol. We have not yet had a debate on the national plan for alcohol. Most people are cross-addicted and alcohol is a serious problem. There are five times as many chronic misusers of alcohol in Scotland as there are heroin addicts. The figure is 250,000. We need far more resources to help them and we probably also need to consider alcohol treatment and testing orders.
No one denies the particular character of drug misuse in the north-east, particularly in Fraserburgh—or the Broch. When I stood for Parliament there in 1974, alcohol was the main problem in the area. It has been targeted by drug dealers because of the amount of money that the fishermen earn. There are now 450 heroin addicts in Fraserburgh—that is 2 per cent of the population.
I congratulate Mr Lochhead on securing the debate. He was right to emphasise the importance of waiting times for referrals and for getting on the methadone programme. Anyone who knows anything about addiction knows that it is crucial to catch addicts when they have reached rock bottom, when they have had enough and they want to get into recovery. They have to be got into treatment at that stage. If that moment is missed, the addict is likely to relapse and get back into the cycle of addiction.
I pay tribute to the general practitioners and pharmacists throughout Scotland and the work that they do, particularly on methadone programmes. During the inquiry, I visited a pharmacist in Torry who had an unusually large number of addicts on his books. He was providing a social and public service. Although shoplifting in his pharmacy was up by 2 or 3 per cent, he thought it was his role to help addicts. If an addict came into his shop who seemed to have health difficulties, the pharmacist would alert the medical authorities or refer the addict to a doctor.
We must have more community and day programmes. I have three or four brief points I wish to make about residential treatment. Most residential treatment is based on the 12-step programme of intensive group therapy. Addicts are isolated from the outside world. That is how the 12-step programme is most effective. Addicts are taken away from the people with whom they have used and from the places where they have used. We desperately need more residential care places. However, I am not necessarily saying that addicts from Aberdeen should go to a treatment centre in Aberdeen. It might well be better for them to go a treatment centre in the Borders, and for addicts from the Borders to come to a treatment centre in Aberdeen.
Secondly, if treatment is going to be effective, addicts must be given the opportunity to build up so-called clean time. If someone is to build up clean time, they will have to spend between six weeks and six months in intensive treatment and then they should go to a halfway house, where they can work towards the crucial stage of being clean for a year. Halfway houses are crucial; otherwise money spent on residential treatment may well be wasted.
Thirdly, funding must be more easily obtainable. There was an addict in Buckhaven in my constituency. His mother was very brave. She fought to get funding from the local health board and local authority so that her son could go to the Links project in Leith. She was meeting his dealers on the high street and they were asking her when he was coming back. The last place he wanted to come back to was Buckhaven. He went to a halfway house down south.
I also want the minister to respond to a point on the care home regulations and their impact on residential treatment. Another key aspect of residential treatment is that addicts should spend as little time as possible on their own. Addicts should not be staying in single rooms. In the most effective treatment centres in the United Kingdom, such as Clouds House in Wiltshire, or in the United States—Cottonwood de Tucson and Sierra Tucson—people share rooms. That helps to make treatment effective and we do not want those care home regulations having a detrimental impact on residential treatment.
Finally, I am glad that Mr Lochhead mentioned alcohol. It should have been mentioned in the previous debate. The Parliament is too ambivalent about alcohol. We have not yet had a debate on the national plan for alcohol. Most people are cross-addicted and alcohol is a serious problem. There are five times as many chronic misusers of alcohol in Scotland as there are heroin addicts. The figure is 250,000. We need far more resources to help them and we probably also need to consider alcohol treatment and testing orders.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S1M-3051, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on drug misuse in north-east Scotland.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes with concern that drug misuse in the north east of Scotland has increased dramatically in recent years, with an estimated 50% rise ...
Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I begin by thanking all those, from a number of the parties, who signed my motion.In this day and age, it is utterly appalling that, despite the technology a...
Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
The member is obviously making a specific point about a drug action team in the north-east. In certain areas, such as Glasgow and Fife, DATs work well. Does ...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
I accept that point. I am not specifically criticising local DATs; I am saying that they need to have identifiable leaders, whom the public and the Governmen...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Nine members have asked to speak. I remind members that the debate is specific to north-east Scotland, although I will allow references to other areas when t...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Richard Lochhead for securing the debate. Drug abuse is undoubtedly an extremely serious issue, which affects many of us either directly or indirectl...
Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
Elaine Thomson:
Lab
I have just got into my speech, so if Brian Adam does not mind, I will continue.
Brian Adam:
SNP
Is this a debate?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Order. It is up to the member whether she wants to take an intervention.
Elaine Thomson:
Lab
Yes, it is up to me.Aberdeen has had substantial funding from that package, including more than £0.5 million for treatment, £860,000 for rehabilitation, £1.2...
Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
The debate is very important for the north-east. The subject has been talked about for a long time, but there has not been dedicated action on all fronts on ...
Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I am disappointed that Elaine Thomson has left the chamber and that she did not take any interventions during her speech. I was pleased that she made represe...
Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab):
Lab
Does Brian Adam agree that Forth Valley is a good example? There is a community representative on the substance abuse action team, which is proving very useful.
Brian Adam:
SNP
I would be delighted to see greater involvement of community representatives. I know that there are already representatives from the voluntary sector—I belie...
Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
The most dramatic part of the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee's inquiry into drug misuse in deprived communities is between pages 42...
Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I begin by congratulating Richard Lochhead on securing tonight's debate on what is a crucially important subject not just for the north-east but for the rest...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Before I call Maureen Macmillan, I inform members that I am not going to get everybody in in the time that is available. If the minister agrees, I will be pr...
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended until 6.00 pm.—Richard Lochhead.
Motion agreed to.
Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
It so happens that I travelled down on the train from Inverness to Aberdeen in the company of the regional fiscal. Our conversation naturally turned to crimi...
Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
There is no denying that drug misuse is a major problem in the north-east and that members who represent the area are only too well aware of its negative imp...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Richard Lochhead on securing the debate. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to speak in a debate of such importance.I wish to ma...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Will the member give way?
Mr McGrigor:
Con
Can I give way, Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
No. Our time is tight. I want to squeeze in the last speakers.
Mr McGrigor:
Con
Fourthly, I want to ask whether enough is being done to identify the real financial costs of drug abuse. Crime now exists in areas where it hardly existed be...