Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, High and highly bonded: Fused football fans who use cocaine are most likely to be aggressive toward rivals, by Martha Newson, which found that around 1% of fans reported using cocaine in football stadia and around 30% had witnessed other fans take cocaine at matches, and what action it will take in response to the findings.
The High and highly bonded report has a Britain-wide focus and makes no mention of Scotland. Nonetheless, we fully recognise the need to address the use of drugs in Scotland. January marked the first year of the National Mission to save and improve lives affected by problematic drug use. Over the last year our main focus has been on laying the groundwork so that we can focus on delivering change that will make a real and tangible difference to people's lives.
In January 2020 the First Minister set out clear priorities of the National Mission: to wrap support around people who are most at risk through fast and appropriate access to treatment, increased access to residential rehabilitation, better support after non-fatal overdoses, and recognising the vital role of frontline organisations.