DOUGLAS Ross has told journalists he has never taken recreational drugs in his life.
The Scottish Tory leader was asked whether he had ever taken illicit drugs during a briefing with journalists after visiting a rehab unit in Glasgow with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier today.
He was also asked if he had taken them, what was his experience. "I think I am right in saying the answer is no and no. I don't think I have actually ever been asked that question before," he said.
"I clearly don't look like someone who you even need to ask that question. I have lead quite a sheltered life I would say on the farm. The worst was going to a young farmers dance and probably drinking too much. But I have never taken drugs in my life."
Responding to his comments Annemarie Ward, of FavorUK, which advocates for people recovering from drug addiction, said Ross was fortunate in his upbringing.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross: I'll seek UK Government support for drug consumption room
She told The National: "Douglas Ross was lucky he wasn't brought up in one of our poorest communities because if he was he would be 18 times more likely to die from drugs."
The First Minister and leader of the Scottish Conservatives agreed a joint visit to see the work done by a community group in Glasgow’s Haghill neighbourhood to support drug addicts to recover.
Ahead of the event at the Bluevale Community Hall, the organisation’s founder Kenny Trainer said drug users were dying while “political leaders are arguing” and failing to take the necessary action to tackle Scotland’s drug death crisis.
Trainer welcomed the Scottish Conservatives’ plans to guarantee Scots affected by substance abuse a legal right to drug and alcohol treatment, but also said the £20 cut to Universal Credit imposed by the UK Government last month was a “massive issue” in his community.
Urging political leaders to work together, he said: “Douglas Ross is backing a right to recovery bill, which is what we back as well, and Nicola Sturgeon is against the end of the £20 Universal Credit uplift.
“Both of them are right.”
Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Trainer continued: “While both political leaders are arguing and while this is taking months to get anything done, people are dying in the streets, people are turning to addiction.
“If you look at 20 years ago, we had less than 300 drug deaths a year, now we’ve got 1300, so what does that tell you?
“The services that are out there just now aren’t working because things are getting worse and people aren’t using the services because they’re getting passed from pillar to post.”
Bluevale helps more than 1000 households every year through its sports, youth, elderly and community work and attempting to tackle poverty and drug use.
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Asked about the prospect of drug consumption rooms that could potentially allow users to take drugs in a safer environment, Trainer suggested they would only be effective if located close to recovery services that can offer people additional support.
The visit came about after Sturgeon challenged the Scottish Conservative leader to visit a working-class area with her in the wake of the UK Government’s £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit.
Ross agreed to this – but also suggesting they visit the Bluevale Community Club as he pushed for more action to tackle Scotland’s drugs problem.
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