Scotland continues to face a devastating drug crisis, with thousands of lives impacted each year. Communities, families, and public services are deeply affected by drug-related harm—a complex issue with links to poverty, stigma, and service shortcomings. To tackle this problem, the Scottish Parliament adopted a bold approach, establishing a People’s Panel to examine the causes of drug harm and deaths and to recommend actionable solutions.

This initiative aimed to go beyond traditional debates, turning to an inclusive, citizen-driven method, focused on solutions shaped by informed discussion, diverse perspectives, and evidence. While some ideas touch upon harm reduction, the focus remains on prevention, holistic care, and systemic reform to steer Scotland toward a society free from drug misuse.

Here, we present a detailed look at the People’s Panel’s process, findings, and 19 key recommendations designed to confront one of the nation’s most pressing challenges.

What is a People’s Panel?

The People’s Panel is a participatory democratic process designed to include ordinary citizens in shaping policy. A randomly selected yet demographically representative group of individuals is brought together to learn about an issue, deliberate, and provide clear recommendations. The overarching goal is to bridge the gap between politicians, experts, and the public, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered in policymaking.

The People’s Panel commissioned for this task was overseen by the Criminal Justice, Health and Social Care, and Social Justice Committees of the Scottish Parliament. Together, they explored vital questions about Scotland’s approach to tackling drug harms, particularly focusing on the central premise:

What does Scotland need to do differently to reduce drug-related harms?

The Participants

Recruitment and Representation

The panel comprised 23 individuals aged 16 to 75 recruited randomly from 5,000 invitations sent to households across Scotland. The selection process, managed by the Sortition Foundation, ensured a demographic balance in terms of age, gender, geography, ethnicity, and educational attainment. Despite challenges such as two individuals dropping out due to personal reasons, the panel represented diversity reflective of Scottish society.

Importantly, the recruitment process also factored in attitudes toward drugs, ensuring participants had varying viewpoints—from those seeing substance misuse as a matter of personal responsibility to others framing it as a societal challenge.

Inclusivity and Support

Participants included those with direct experience of drug use or its impacts on loved ones, alongside others with no personal connection. To ensure inclusivity, barriers such as travel costs or accessibility issues were addressed. Each participant received a fee for their time and commitment, symbolising the value placed on their contributions.

Why Drug Harm?

The focus on drug harm was not incidental—it emerged as a key priority due to the urgency of the crisis. With drug-related deaths in Scotland ranking among the highest in Europe, the topic fulfilled key criteria set by the Scottish Parliament, such as societal relevance, potential for significant impact, and opportunities to bridge gaps in existing legislation and services.

While the problem is multifaceted, central themes included stigma, inconsistent service delivery, lapses in prevention efforts, and deep-rooted social inequalities. Efforts to address drug harm were viewed not just as a health concern but as a pressing public policy issue requiring bold, long-term solutions.

Methodology for Change

The People’s Panel engaged in a combination of in-person residential weekends and online sessions. Underpinned by guidance from a Stewarding Board of experts, the process was structured to ensure fairness, credibility, and transparency.

Evidence Gathering

Participants heard from diverse witnesses, including public health officials, criminal justice representatives, addiction service providers, and individuals with lived experience. Themes covered ranged from understanding drug policies to the role of communities in prevention and the challenges faced in enforcement. Crucially, the discussions emphasised critical thinking, helping participants analyse evidence cogently and empathetically.

Themes Explored

Seven initial themes emerged during evidence sessions, including Access to Care, Justice Reform, Harm Prevention, Tackling Stigma, Workforce Development, and Participation. Following deliberation, participants voted to deepen their focus on four priority areas for Scotland’s future strategies, including prevention and care access.

Consensus and Decision-Making

The process involved iterative discussions, small group reflections, and drafting sessions. Participants crafted 27 recommendations, later refined to 19, with each requiring an 87% supermajority agreement among members to be included in the final report.

The People’s Panel Findings and Recommendations

The core takeaway from the panel was stark but profoundly clear—current approaches to tackling drug harm in Scotland lack urgency, cohesiveness, and implementation effectiveness. To address this, the panel emphasised prevention, education, community empowerment, and systemic accountability.

1. Addressing Cultural Stigma

Participants reiterated the pervasive stigma faced by those impacted by drug harm. To counter this, the panel recommended national training initiatives for staff across public sectors, designed and delivered in partnership with people with lived experience. This, they believed, could reduce barriers to effective care. The message was simple—rather than marginalising individuals, society must treat addiction as a complex, multifactorial issue requiring compassion and holistic care, akin to other chronic health issues.

2. Prevention Through Education

When it comes to prevention, the People’s Panel placed substantial weight on early education. They advocated for mandatory, age-appropriate drug awareness programmes to be integrated into the national curriculum, starting in primary school. Importantly, families and educators were identified as essential partners in shaping and delivering these initiatives.

The panel also highlighted the role of external organisations, such as community-led education projects, in addressing gaps that mainstream schools may struggle to fill. Combining data-driven awareness campaigns with community outreach efforts could foster a broader understanding of the risks associated with substance misuse.

3. Strengthening Care Infrastructure

One of the most significant gaps identified was the lack of integrated support networks for individuals seeking help. Recommendations included creating a single national helpline for those needing guidance, alongside smoother referral pathways between agencies such as the NHS, third-sector organisations, and police.

Importantly, the panel called for five-year guaranteed funding for rehabilitation services, ending the cycle of short-term insecurity often faced by the care sector. These long-term commitments, they argued, would yield better planning, recruitment, and outcomes.

4. Legal and Justice Reforms

Instead of punitive measures like imprisonment for minor drug offences, the panel proposed prioritising drug testing orders, treatment solutions, and specialised drug courts. Reoffending rates and addiction issues are exacerbated by prison environments, they noted, urging a shift toward rehabilitation and reintegration.

A key area of focus involved tackling the proliferation of drugs within prisons, which requires better resource allocation and stricter controls.

5. Tackling Poverty and Inequalities

Participants repeatedly identified poverty as a root cause of much drug harm. Issues such as homelessness, financial instability, and lack of safe accommodation were flagged as catalysts for addiction cycles. While beyond the remit of this panel alone, urgent examination of poverty-linked vulnerabilities was urged, with immediate measures needed to address housing quality and employability support.

6. Accountability for Results

The Scottish Government was urged to ensure transparency in implementing agreed actions and to measure the success of programmes consistently. The People’s Panel demanded assurances that their recommendations would not merely echo previous strategies but lead to tangible results.

Scotland at a Crossroads

The People’s Panel was united by a sense of frustration with the current approach. While policies to tackle drug harms exist, poor implementation, lack of accountability, and not enough funding have held back real progress.

To truly address the crisis, Scotland needs to take bold, preventative steps and break down barriers to care. By focusing more on enforcement, education, and changing attitudes in society, we can make sure programmes work as they should—helping to reduce drug misuse and protect our communities.

Building a Drug-Free Scotland

The People’s Panel shows how bringing people together and using evidence-based discussions can tackle some of society’s toughest problems. To make real progress, it’s not just up to policymakers—communities, schools, and support services all need to play their part. By working together, Scotland can build a safer, healthier future, free from the devastating impact of drug-related harm.

Scotland’s approach to tackling drug misuse needs to go beyond just managing harm. It requires a cultural shift that focuses on prevention, accountability, and finding long-term solutions. With everyone pulling in the same direction, this public health crisis can become a story of hope, recovery, and positive change.

Source: The Scottish Parliament