Scotland's drug deaths crisis would have been resolved if those dying were from middle class backgrounds and not the poorest communities, Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra has said.
The new Scottish Labour leader warned the number of Scots losing their lives to illegal substances was "indefensible" after official figures published this week found fatalities were up 11 per cent year-on-year.
First FMQs since taking charge
Speaking at his first FMQs since taking charge from Anas Sarwar, Marra said his party would work with the SNP Government if John Swinney was "prepared to change course" on how to deal with the public health emergency.
Nicola Sturgeon previously admitted her government had taken "its eye off the ball" when it came to dealing with the country's long-standing addiction issues, which are linked to endemic poverty in many communities.
The mortality rate from drugs in Scotland is now 2.4 times the rate of England, 1.6 times the rate of Northern Ireland and 1.5 times the rate of Wales.
Pandora's box
Marra said a spike in drug deaths north of the Border could be traced back to clinical decisions taken in 2013 that "opened Pandora's box" and said that Scots are 15 times more likely to die from drugs if they are poor.
He said: "The scourge of nitazenes and synthetic opioids of this kind is not new. People buy these pills by the handful, because in 2013 prescriptions for Valium were withdrawn under this government.
"I was leading the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science a decade ago when we saw the consequences. We clearly identified that poly drug use and synthetics were at the heart of the huge surge in deaths after 2014. No Minister has ever answered for this.
"Pandora's box was opened and deaths in Scotland skyrocketed to over two-and-a-half-times that of England, with the same drug laws."
Marra continued: "The First Minister would do well to remember the original surge was 12 years ago. And indefensible was not only my word to describe the record, it was the word chosen by the then first minister, in this Parliament, six years ago.
"If it was indefensible then, what on earth is it now? Over 7,000 people have lost their lives since the Scottish Government declared a public health emergency. We cannot go on like this.
"Scots are 15x more likely to die from drugs if they are poor, than if they are rich. If this was a middle class epidemic we would have locked down, legislated, found the money, educated widely and reformed indiscriminately. Nothing near that scale has happened."
Government response
Marra continued: "We cannot go on like this. This is one of the most serious issues facing Scotland. If the First Minister is prepared to change course, and bring a new plan to Parliament, Scottish Labour will work with him on it."
Swinney said: "The issues Mr Marra raises are of the upmost seriousness.
"It delves deep into my own political thinking. Which is why, when I became First Minister, I committed to the central mission of my Government being the eradication of child poverty.
"Because we have to interrupt the circumstances that are feeding and re-feeding this crisis in our society.
"And I welcome the willingness of Mr Marra to engage with the Government on this question and I will ensure it is taken forward."
