THE way in which independence will allow Scotland to tackle its drugs deaths problem will come under the spotlight online this week.
Aberdeen Independence Movement (AIM) will host an online event focusing on drug reform in Scotland and how independence can improve current policy deficits.
AIM has been receiving widespread recognition and support for their events, offering professionally run, accessible discussion and debate, with a focus on issues which impact Scottish society. The group recognises that drug deaths are preventable and supports an enhanced harm minimisation
approach as one means of achieving this. Scotland has the worst drug death rate in Europe, with more than 1200 people dying of drug misuse in 2019, according to the latest figures.
The event will see Peter Krykant, a prolific drugs campaigner who opened Scotland’s first overdose prevention service in Glasgow, explore safe consumption and the nation’s drug death crisis. The event will consider the complexities and seriousness of the crisis and offer opportunities for exploration of a variety of perspectives to begin to address it.
Lauren Henderson, co-organiser at AIM, said: “It goes without saying that the root causes of harmful drug use, such as ultra-austerity and socio-economic deprivation need to be addressed to transform Scotland’s approach to the crisis.
“However, there is much that we can do to promote a robust harm minimisation approach in the meantime.
“The introduction of safer injecting sites is one such means and AIM views Krykant’s work as instrumental in evidencing what can be done to support vulnerable drug users.
“People need help, not hate and current policy is not only failing individuals, but is harmful to society at large, in terms of the impact on health services and the crime which surrounds it.”
The event will take place on Thursday at 7pm for free on Zoom and will be live-streamed on Facebook.
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