The Scottish Drugs Policy Conversations is a space for people with varied viewpoints and different experiences of drugs and drugs policy who wish to learn from this diversity, and influence future developments within Scotland.
SDPC 16: The Misuse of Drugs Act – is it right for Scotland?
On the 26th February SDPC will be hosting our 16th conversation. This session will take place in memory of Kenny Simpson of Police Scotland, a tireless campaigner of compassionate policing of the MDA 71 who died 3 years ago, and whose service of remembrance was held on the 26th February 2018. We will hear from […]
Pragmatic Approaches to Policing People who use Drugs During Covid-19
We will be holding an online webinar on the 30th April to discuss approaches to policing people who use drugs during this outbreak. Initially the event was to be a half day event in memory of Kenny Simpson, but as a result of the outbreak we are postponing the seminar and having a shorter, more […]
Medicinal Cannabis Reform in Scotland
On September 27th the Medicinal Cannabis Reform Scotland (MCRS) group met with MSP’s, representatives of the Scottish Governments Substance Misuse Unit, and representatives of Police Scotland, to present the case for urgent action on medicinal cannabis reform in Scotland. The meeting was chaired by Anna Ross of SDPC with the aim of securing agreement […]
Support over punishment call from prominent policy advisor Dr. Roy Robertson
SDPC participant and Scottish Government drug policy advisor Roy Robertson spoke to the BBC about his desire to see a ‘support over penalise’ drug strategy in Scotland. Roy also highlighted the need for a public enquiry along the lines of a Royal Commission in order to explore the evidence and effectiveness of the current framework. […]
Supervised Drug Consumption Facilities Bill passes to 2nd reading in the House of Commons.
The SNP MP for Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss presented the bill to allow supervised drug consumption facilities on a trial basis in Glasgow. It came in response to the recent rejection of the Glasgow trial by the Lord Advocate for Scotland, who felt it was outwith the competence of the Scottish Parliament to allow such […]
Recovering Justice and Transform Drug Policy Foundation Release Scottish Policy Brief
Two of our participating organisations have released a Scottish drug policy reform brief stating “the Scottish Government has a unique opportunity to deliver innovative drug policy that would transform Scotland from the drug death capital of Europe, to a beacon of compassionate, effective approaches.” The full brief can be accessed here: RJ and TDPFS – […]
Kenny Simpson – Gone but his legacy will live on
For Kenny Simpson – drug policy expert, long serving copper with Police Scotland and the SCDEA and champion of sensible drug policies. “I never judge anybody on how they are presented, everybody’s got their stories to tell, I just don’t think there is acknowledgment of that. I think there needs to be more of a […]
Anna Ross, Co-Convener of SDPC Responds to the Drug Consumption Rooms Decision
The orginal article was published in the National Newspaper THE Lord Advocate for Scotland has declined to issue legal guidelines on whether the pilot drug consumption initiative in Glasgow is legally possible under Scottish law. Instead he states that it rests on the health department to decide whether they are in the public interest. The […]
Drug Consumption Rooms Hit a Hurdle: Health or Justice?
The Lord Advocate for Scotland has refused to issue legal guidelines on the proposed pilot of drug consumption rooms in Glasgow. Despite 2 years of research, business planning and consensus building by the local health board and authorities, the rooms cannot go ahead until Police Scotland agree to the proposals. The Lord Advocate could have […]
SNP Conference back calls for devolution of drug laws
In The SNP’s October 2017 conference a resolution was passed that calls for drugs to be seen as a public heatlh issue and for powers relating to drugs (contained within the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and currently reserved to Westminster) to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. This signals a huge step towards implementing […]
