August 10th, 2011

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP has invited the Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham to Inverclyde to see for herself the misery drug addiction is spreading.

The MSP was shocked this week to see drug deaths in the community rise to a 10-year high while the national average plummeted 11 per cent.

He wants answers to why our drug prevention strategy is not have the right impact in Inverclyde and wants to get the Scottish Government involved.

The MSP also plans to meet with Robert Murphy and Joe McIlwee, corporate director and chair of the Community Health and Care Partnership, in a bid to tackle the problem.

He said: “While the minister is obviously pleased with the 11 per cent drop in drug deaths across the country, too many people are still dying from addiction with Scotland having the sixth highest drug toll in the world, twice that of the UK.

“I am particularly concerned that drug deaths have doubled in Inverclyde, and hit a 10-year high.

“I think it would be appropriate for the minister to come to Inverclyde to see for herself the challenges we face, and work with us to overcome them.

“It is clear that the drug prevention strategy we have in place, through the methadone programme and other things, isn’t working for Inverclyde.”