In 2019, Scotland logged its highest number of drug deaths since records began with 1,264 – a figure described as a “national disgrace” by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

While the Scottish Government has now pledged £250 million over five years for drug support services for the future, Ms Sturgeon acknowledged it has not done enough in the past.

Speaking before the Health and Sport Committee on Wednesday, Ms Freeman said the Scottish Government’s record in understanding the crossover between mental health issues and addiction had also not been good enough.

“The overall assessment would be that we have not sufficiently recognised the interplay between drugs, alcohol and mental health issues, and not sufficiently looked to provide a more holistic response,” she said.

“There has been progress made but it has been insufficient at this point, as has been acknowledged.

“I think we also recognise that the delivery of support and services needs to change, in order to be that person-centred service that we look all the time to see in health care.”

After the publication of the figures in December, public health minister Joe FitzPatrick resigned and was replaced by Mairi Gougeon and a new drugs policy post, taken up by Angela Constance.

Ms Freeman added: “All of that is the area that Ms Constance is now focused on, working with those who have direct experience as individuals or as family members, as well as the organisations and agencies both in the public and third sector who deliver support to find a better way to use that resource and get the outcomes they seek and that we seek too.”

Later in the session, in response to Tory MSP Brian Whittle, Ms Freeman said the new drugs minister was also looking to make sure drug funding “gets to the people who need the support via the quickest and easiest route”.



She also said the Scottish Government should put drug users at the heart of services.

“The outcome that you’re looking for is that individual is supported to live the life that they want to, free of addiction and not at risk of drug death or suicide, all of these things go together,” she said.

“There is a lot of work going on inside government at the moment about how do we remove some of the blockages to that joint working and how do we get, with proper governance because it’s public money we’re dealing with, that more directly to those individuals.”