A.I. DRUG WARNING

SCOTLAND is facing an unprecedented rush of Al-designed and super-strength synthetic drugs that could ramp up our appalling death rate even further.

- BY MARK McGIVERN

The chilling warning was issued in Glasgow by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, now chair of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.

Clark, who was visiting the Thistle, the UK's first legal drugs consumption room, said drugs can be produced on 3D printers, making detection and enforcement even harder for police, who are already failing spectacularly to break down supply chains.

And the dogged campaigner for drug policy reform said she has been briefed on the inevitability of a reshaping of drug supplies that will include more deadly fentanyl and nitazenes, which are far stronger than heroin and already being sold on Scots streets.

She believes drug checking facilities are urgently needed and greater moves should be made to educate users on the huge risk of death by dabbling with new substances.

Clark said: “We've had up-to-date briefings at our Global Commission meeting in London with experts who are telling us they think we're coming to the end of a plant-based substance use pattern.

“The use is moving to synthetics, like fentanyl, which is far more potent than heroin. And nitazenes, which are more potent again.

“This raises the very real prospect that the drug death rate could accelerate again - even in Scotland.