Warnings instead of prosecution for Class A drug users

Scotland logged a record 1,339 drug-related deaths in 2020 - by far the highest rate in Europe
BBC News (UK)
Wednesday, September 22, 2021

uk heroin injectingPeople caught with Class A drugs in Scotland could be given a police warning instead of facing prosecution. Officers can already issue a formal warning for possession of lower category drugs. Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain told MSPs this would now include Class A drugs in a bid to address the underlying causes of Scotland's drugs death crisis. The Conservatives said the move amounts to "de facto decriminalisation" of deadly substances. Ms Bain insisted this was not the case, adding that there is "no one size fits all" response to drug addiction and that every case should be judged individually. (See also: Warnings for Class A drugs is good step but there's still more to do)