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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
SDPC 12 – Drug Related Deaths Outcomes
SDPC 12: Drug Related Deaths – SDPC held its’ 12th conversation looking at drug related deaths in Scotland, and producing some recomendations on how to help reduce such deaths in the future. The main record of discussion can be found here, but the main outcomes were: There was broad agreement on the following outcomes: PUBLIC […]
Medicinal Cannabis Reform Scotland
On Thursday 7th September the Medicinal Cannabis Reform Scotland group met with cross party representatives and stakeholders to discuss access to medicinal cannabis in Scotland. At the meeting Steve Rolles from Transform Drug Policy Foundation, and the Durham Police Crime and Victims Commissioner Ron Hogg outlined the current legislative framework and how police forces and […]
Durham Police Event: UK Drug Policy – more harm than good?
Ron Hogg – Durham Police, Crime and Victim’s Commisioner – An event exploring how the UK can move from a criminal justice based drug policy to one focused on health and well-being.
Expert Working Group on Cannabis: options for policy reform in Scotland
UWS’ Contemporary Drug and Alcohol Studies Programme and Scottish Drug Policy Conversations are hosting an expert working-group meeting on ‘Cannabis: options for policy reform in Scotland’ this Friday 16th of June. This meeting is the intial meeting of an expert group set up to examine options for policy reform of cannabis in Scotland. If you […]