Mephedrone

First Minister's Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 12:01 pm on 25 March 2010.

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Photo of Brian Adam Brian Adam Scottish National Party 12:01, 25 March 2010

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding the drug mephedrone. (S3F-2309)

Photo of Alex Salmond Alex Salmond First Minister of Scotland, Leader, Scottish National Party

The Minister for Community Safety has written twice to the Home Office, on 4 February and 17 March, urging it to take swift action on the matter. That said, we are not waiting for legislation to address the issue. We have commissioned the drug service Crew 2000 to develop a training resource that will be made available nationally to all alcohol and drug partnerships and organisations in the youth sector. The training materials will be funded by the Government and will focus on raising awareness about the harms of using so-called legal highs, and will support individuals to make positive lifestyle choices.

Photo of Brian Adam Brian Adam Scottish National Party

Given recent reports of deaths having been attributed to mephedrone and the court case in Aberdeen in which a young man was convicted of causing an accident while under the influence of the drug, what further steps will the Scottish Government take to protect young people from the effects of mephedrone?

Photo of Alex Salmond Alex Salmond First Minister of Scotland, Leader, Scottish National Party

Because of a range of examples, particularly south of the border recently, there has been a great deal of publicity about mephedrone, although I point out that the Minister for Community Safety wrote to his UK counterpart in advance of the latest tragic incident in England. There have been incidents in Scotland, too. Therefore, as well as commissioning the training resource that I referred to, we have commissioned Young Scot to develop the capacity of substance misuse educators throughout Scotland, because we must recognise that young people have a fundamental role in addressing the issue. Overall in 2010-11, we will allocate £28.6 million to health boards for front-line drugs services, which represents an increase of more than 20 per cent since 2006-07. Members will accept that, in a hugely difficult environment for public expenditure, that shows a sense of priority and urgency.

Photo of John Scott John Scott Conservative

Given the tragic death in my constituency last week of Jordan Kiltie, which has been linked to the use of mephedrone, I welcome the strong message from the Parliament and the expectation that the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs will next week recommend the banning of the substance. However, does the First Minister agree that it is vital that mephedrone be withdrawn from sale at once and that consideration of advice from the advisory council, which might lead to a permanent ban, must not mean any delay in taking the substance off the shelves of Scottish shops?

Photo of Alex Salmond Alex Salmond First Minister of Scotland, Leader, Scottish National Party

In the Minister for Community Safety's letter to the Home Office, he made the point that action is needed immediately and there should be no delay. Whatever the reason for not taking action previously, given the number of clearly established instances north and south of the border, I hope and believe that there will be urgency in the response to the Minister for Community Safety and the concerns that are being expressed in the Parliament by members whose constituents have been tragically affected.

Photo of James Kelly James Kelly Labour

Will the First Minister join me in welcoming the comments that chief drugs adviser Professor Les Iversen made earlier this week, in which he highlighted the likelihood of outlawing mephedrone and said that such a ban is likely to be generic in scope? Will he also join me in urging police forces to follow the interim action that has been taken by forces such as Tayside Police by prosecuting for reckless conduct people who distribute such substances?

Photo of Alex Salmond Alex Salmond First Minister of Scotland, Leader, Scottish National Party

I welcome such initiatives. However, the legislative framework has to be clear and has to send unmistakeable messages. I hope and believe that there will now be a sense of urgency.

The developments in legal high drugs indicate that in monitoring the position of drugs and their legality, there has to be a very quick response, because a variety of different and new substances are coming forward. Perhaps one of the lessons from these tragic occurrences is that the system has to have in-built flexibility. Whether things are done in London or, in the future, in Scotland, the system has to have in-built flexibility to respond to the ever-changing framework in the drugs environment.