Wasteful drug task force was a 'placebo'

Quick-fix panel costly and ineffective

- MARK MCGIVERN

THE Scottish Government has been accused of allowing millions of pounds to be wasted during the battle to bring down drug deaths.

A damning study claims large grants have been channelled to the same organisations again and again, despite previous failures to improve death rates.

Dr Iain McPhee and Barry Sheridan, of the University of the West of Scotland, claim that the defunct Drug Deaths Task Force was hampered by the inclusion of people who were already running drugs initiatives.