The headline could not be more explicit. ‘Scottish ministers’ are to blame for the failure to open a drug consumption room in Glasgow and save lives by doing so. Read on and the truth of the situation is revealed:
‘The opening of such a facility in Glasgow has the backing of the health board and the Scottish Government, but the issue of drug control is reserved to Westminster. Last year the UK government refused a request from Glasgow City Council amid legal concerns.’
However, we then read:
‘Dr Maté, author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, a book about tackling addiction, said concerns over legislation were a “cop out”. He said: “It’s just an excuse – the government can change the law.’
Is the retired Dr Mate confused? Which ‘government’ does he mean? The Scotsman reporter knows that ‘Scottish ministers’ cannot change this law. Wait, is he writing this from England? Who knows these days?
On the treatment of the drug problem in Scotland, Scotsman readers might benefit from these:
Why drug-related deaths in Scotland are NOT two and a half times higher than rest of UKFrom Reporting Scotland last night: ‘Drug-related deaths in Scotland are two and a half times higher than the rest of the UK.’ That would be a huge difference and straight off the bat as they say, it’s just not very…
BBC Scotland’s go-to-guy on SNP anti-drugs strategy both wrong and corruptFormer Glasgow University professor Neil McKeganey has long been BBC Scotland’s favourite go-to-guy when they wanted somebody to try to undermine the Scottish Government’s ant-drugs strategy. One rogue academic against the evidence of many experts; that’ll will be ‘balance’, I…
Waiting time targets for drug and alcohol treatment smashed in NHS ScotlandThe target is for 90% of people referred with a drug or alcohol problem to wait no longer than three weeks for treatment. 6 609 people sought alcohol treatment and 4 638 sought drug treatment. Despite these numbers, 94.9% seeking…
Most Scottish health boards exceeded target for alcohol and drug treatment waiting times while NHS England’s services fell into crisisAcross Scotland, between 1 April and 30 June 2018, 6 927 people sought alcohol treatment with 94.1 waiting three weeks or less. 4 823 sought drug treatment with 93.7% waiting three weeks or less. Of Scotland’s fifteen health boards, only…
Off we go? Within days of Scottish independence debate restart, BBC Scotland attempt to deceive and to create fear on drug treatment figuresEarly today and six times before 9:00 am, BBC Scotland’s insert in the Breakfast show, announced: ‘BBC Scotland has found people addicted to drugs are having to wait up to six months for treatment including for methadone prescriptions. Figures show…
BBC Scotland News misuses research findings to lie and scare about drug use in Scotland
Talking-up Scotland 
This is the height of misinformation. For some time now, charities have been trying to open a drug consumption facility in Glasgow. Westminster has refused, despite overwhelming evidence that it would prevent deaths from drug overdose.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sooner The Hootman dies the better for Scotland, even their dwindling file of die-hard angries.
Anger reduces you life span. On the other hand….
LikeLiked by 3 people
Honestly prof is just getting so blatant now, they just don’t care, this can only work against them. People will start seeing this for what it is, absolute rubbish. Has someone not mentioned to the Scotsman that their circulation has dropped through the floor, erm !! you have any idea why that is Scotsman ? You don’t need to be a brain surgeon to work that one out ?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dr Mate is a Hungarian, who was for many years a doctor in Vancouver in Canada and his book is about strategies in the province of British Columbia. It is in the context of CANADIAN and Canadian PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT, that the quote should be read. So, the Scotsman headline as well as being a lie – and it is a lie because the article makes clear that the issue is reserved for Westminster – is also wilfully misleading by using a quote out of context. Undoubtedly, in the context in which he is writing Dr Mate is correct about what empowered government can do.
LikeLiked by 1 person