Councillors will consider calling for drug use to be decriminalised to end further deaths in North Ayrshire.

Irvine councillors hope to declare a drug deaths emergency across North Ayrshire and urge central government to decriminalise users to end the misery across the area

A motion proposed by Cllr Louise McPhater, seconded by Councillor Robert Foster, states “Data published in 2018 showed that Scotland has the highest level of drug related deaths across Europe, here in North Ayrshire the level of drug related deaths are above the Scottish average.

“Accordingly North Ayrshire Council agrees to declare a drugs death emergency and requests the Health and Social Care Partnership to convene a drugs death summit of Community Planning Partners to consider multi-disciplinary local drug policy, funding and service improvements.”

It will also ask that the Chief Executive Craig Hatton write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport to strongly urge the Scottish Government to declare drug related deaths as a public health emergency and seek more funding for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships following a £15.4million reduction in government allocations from 2016/17 which has resulted in real terms funding cuts.

They will also ask that “the Chief Executive write to the Home Secretary seeking the devolution of drug powers to Scotland to allow Drug Consumption Rooms and permit the decriminalisation of drug possession which has proved hugely successful in countries such as Portugal.”