THE charity which provides support to people with drug and alcohol addiction in Argyll and Bute has welcomed the SNP's decision to back the decriminalisation of drugs in Scotland.

The director of Addaction, Andrew Horne, was speaking after delegates at the SNP conference in Aberdeen unanimously backed a resolution calling for drug control powers to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament – a move long backed by the party – as a step towards the "decriminalisation of possession and consumption of controlled drugs".

The motion said the move would mean health services are no longer prevented from giving treatment to those who need it.

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Mr Horne said: “We warmly welcome the SNP’s decision to officially support the decriminalisation of drugs in Scotland.

"Trying to arrest our way out of the problem has been a monumental failure, so it’s heartening to see a political party listening to the evidence base.

“People who develop problems with drugs need compassion and support, not punishment.

"It’s crucial to remember that drug use has no social barriers. People from all walks of life use drugs and all deserve equal treatment for what is ultimately a health and care issue – not a criminal one.”

But Mr Horne said decriminalisation, while a "big step forward" should not be the end of the journey – and hit out at the country's current "fragmented, confusing and underfunded" treatment services.

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He continued: "We need to embrace more radical harm reduction measures like drug testing, so that people know what they are taking, and drug consumption rooms, which make drug use safer and engage people in services they may not otherwise access.

“We can’t let drug related deaths be a fact of life in Scotland. The evidence of what works to bring them down is there; hopefully the political will to take action is now growing too.”

Addaction Scotland, the country's biggest alcohol and drug charity, took over the provision of addiction services in Argyll and Bute in January 2015.

Previously, services had been provided by a number of local agencies, including the Helensburgh Addiction Rehabilitation Team (HART) – though the way the contract was awarded by Argyll and Bute Council sparked criticism of the authority following an Audit Scotland review.

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