A THINK-TANK yesterday called for shooting galleries for addicts and heroin on prescription. The Scottish Futures Forum, who have spent a year looking for solutions to Scotland's drugs and alcohol problem, also urged the regulation and taxation of cannabis. But the forum's project panel chairman, former education chief Frank Pignatelli, admitted: "I don't think the public are ready for it." And the Scottish government and opposition parties were quick to reject the call for drug consumption rooms - otherwise known as shooting galleries. [continues 840 words]
DRUG addicts cost Scotland a shocking UKP50,000 each every year, it was claimed yesterday. Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said the bill in policing, social work and medical care for the country's estimated 50,000-plus addicts was UKP2.6billion a year. Ewing revealed the figures to MSPs as he launched a new strategy to tackle the blight of drugs. The Scottish government have earmarked UKP94million over the next three years for the campaign, which aims to shift the emphasis from just treating addicts to getting them into recovery and drug-free. [continues 274 words]
