£140M IS NOT ENOUGH TO TACKLE DRUG DEATH CRISIS

Scathing report claims current funding to deal with Scotland's health emergency is 'woefully inadequate

- MARK MCGIVERN

THE final report of the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce has called for a major cash injection to tackle "woefully inadequate" funding to reverse the health crisis.

After three years of deliberations, the Taskforce yesterday delivered a scathing report on the lack of money to deliver on the promises made in previous years.

The 145-page report outlines 10 key principles and 20 recommendations which are underpinned by 139 actions to tackle the drug -related deaths crisis.

The Changing Lives document, released yesterday, demands more rights and access to treatment for those with addiction issues. But it says that cash needs to be poured in if Scotland is to have any chance of removing itself from the top of the European drug deaths table.

The report states: "The significant treatment and recovery system changes we have outlined in this report will require adequate resourcing if they are to be fully implemented.