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Scottish Government drug bosses slammed over plans to spend £2.75m on smartphones for addicts amid record high deaths


DRUGS tsars were slammed over plans to spend £2.75million on smartphones for addicts — amid record high deaths.

Officials were accused of failing to grasp the scale of the crisis as the freebie drive for problem users was revealed.

Drug tsars were slammed over smartphone plans for addicts

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Drug tsars were slammed over smartphone plans for addictsCredit: Getty

More than 2,000 addicts will get a mobile to help keep them connected to lifeline services under a Scottish Government-backed “digital inclusion drive”.

The devices will come with internet data so users can seek online support.

But Annemarie Ward, of addiction recovery charity Favor Scotland, said: “There is a middle-class naivety at the Drug Deaths Taskforce that is trying to sort a problem they don’t come close to understanding.


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“People are dying in more numbers than we’ve seen in any part of the world at any time in history. We are not managing this.”

Scotland had a record 1,264 drug-related fatalities in 2019, making us Europe’s drug death capital.

The rate was almost 3½ times higher than the UK as a whole.

 

During the Holy-rood election campaign, Nicola Sturgeon admitted the Scottish Government had taken its “eye off the ball” on drugs deaths.

Ministers have since pledged an extra £250million spending over five years to tackle the issue, including a £100million rehab and aftercare boost.

But Scots Tory shadow health secretary Annie Wells said of the smartphone project: “The near £3million being spent on this should be directed to fund vital rehabilitation beds for those who need them most.

“Too many who want to get off drugs can’t get the treatment.”

The Scottish Government said: “Many at risk of drug-related death ha- ve no means of seeking support online.

“This initiative will target people most at risk, giving them access to life-saving support.”

christine.lavelle@the-sun.co.uk

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