Chamber and committees

Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths

Submitted by: Maree Todd, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Motion type: Motion For Debate
Motion reference: S7M-01766
Current status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on Thursday, 29 October 2026

That the Parliament deeply regrets every life lost through alcohol and drugs and offers its sincere condolences to all those who have lost a loved one; agrees that the tragic numbers of deaths from alcohol and drugs in Scotland are preventable and require the Scottish Government to use every lever available to save and improve lives; affirms Scotland’s commitment to a public health and human-rights based approach; supports the expansion of evidence-based harm reduction initiatives as well as the expansion of recovery and rehabilitation both within residential settings and in communities themselves; agrees that an urgent response is required to tackle dangerously potent synthetic opioids and other emerging synthetic drug threats, including through optimising Scotland’s surveillance system and early warning response; further agrees that the Scottish Government should continue to work constructively with the UK Government on substance use policy, noting that the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act currently limits the ability to address all of the challenges faced in Scotland with a full public health approach, and ultimately recognises the crucial role that families play in the support and recovery of those using substances, and agrees, therefore, to work collectively across the Chamber to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience and their families are at the heart of decisions taken.

Supported by: Angela Constance, Alison Thewliss