Motion For Debate · S7M-01766 · Session 7

Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths

Carried Lodged by Maree Todd SNP Lodged 27 Oct 2026 Debate 29 Oct 2026 2 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament deeply regrets every life lost through alcohol and drugs and offers its sincere condolences to all those who have lost a loved one; agrees that the tragic numbers of deaths from alcohol and drugs in Scotland are preventable and require the Scottish Government to use every lever available to save and improve lives; affirms Scotland’s commitment to a public health and human-rights based approach; supports the expansion of evidence-based harm reduction initiatives as well as the expansion of recovery and rehabilitation both within residential settings and in communities themselves; agrees that an urgent response is required to tackle dangerously potent synthetic opioids and other emerging synthetic drug threats, including through optimising Scotland’s surveillance system and early warning response; further agrees that the Scottish Government should continue to work constructively with the UK Government on substance use policy, noting that the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act currently limits the ability to address all of the challenges faced in Scotland with a full public health approach, and ultimately recognises the crucial role that families play in the support and recovery of those using substances, and agrees, therefore, to work collectively across the Chamber to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience and their families are at the heart of decisions taken.

What MSPs voted on: the motion as amended

The SNP’s motion was changed by amendments from Reform UK (S7M-01766.4), the Greens (S7M-01766.5) and the Liberal Democrats (S7M-01766.1) before this vote. A vote ‘for’ was a vote for the motion as amended, not as lodged.

That the Parliament deeply regrets every life lost through alcohol and drugs and offers its sincere condolences to all those who have lost a loved one; agrees that the tragic numbers of deaths from alcohol and drugs in Scotland are preventable and require the Scottish Government to use every lever available to save and improve lives; affirms Scotland’s commitment to a public health and human-rights based approach; supports the expansion of evidence-based harm reduction initiatives as well as the expansion of recovery and rehabilitation both within residential settings and in communities themselves; agrees that an urgent response is required to tackle dangerously potent synthetic opioids and other emerging synthetic drug threats, including through optimising Scotland’s surveillance system and early warning response; further agrees that the Scottish Government should continue to work constructively with the UK Government on substance use policy, noting that the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act currently limits the ability to address all of the challenges faced in Scotland with a full public health approach, and ultimately recognises the crucial role that families play in the support and recovery of those using substances, and agrees, therefore, to work collectively across the Chamber to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience and their families are at the heart of decisions taken.S7M-01766.4 Reform UK ; notes that the drug-misuse death rate, as reported by the National Records of Scotland, is over 10 times higher in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas; regards this as evidence that working-class communities are disproportionately affected by drug-related harm, and agrees that the right to recovery must be considered as part of the efforts to address substance abuse.S7M-01766.5 Green , and supports the further rollout of safe consumption rooms to other local authority areas as a health-saving intervention.S7M-01766.1 Liberal Democrat ; believes that robust harm reduction measures and rehabilitation services are both vital in saving lives; supports the continued development and evaluation of safer consumption facilities, and calls for predictable multi-year funding for rehabilitation services; supports the expansion of evidence-based medication-assisted treatment, including long-acting opioid substitution therapies where clinically appropriate; recognises the particular challenges faced by individuals experiencing both substance use and mental health problems, calls for improved access to integrated dual-diagnosis support, and acknowledges the often hidden role of families as unpaid carers, advocates and sources of support, recognising the need for appropriate support for families in their own right.

Final wording as read into the Official Report at Decision Time. The marked changes are worked out by this site from the amendment texts and match that wording.

Amendments

S7M-01766.2 Labour Jackie Baillie Defeated vote, 22–91
S7M-01766.4 Reform UK Thomas Kerr Agreed vote, 36–18
S7M-01766.5 Green Gillian Mackay Agreed vote, 76–24
S7M-01766.3 Conservative Miles Briggs Defeated vote, 33–67
S7M-01766.1 Liberal Democrat Adam Harley Agreed vote, 88–24

Signatures by party

2 MSPs besides the lodger · 0 from other parties

SNP 2

Party on the day each MSP signed. Signing a motion is voluntary and not whipped. Who signs whose motions

Vote

1 division

29 Oct 2026
Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths
S7M-01766as amended by Reform UK + Green + Liberal Democrat
Carried
76 for, 24 against, 14 abstained

Amendments

S7M-01766.1

Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths
Adam Harley LD Lodged 28 Oct 2026

Carried
88 for, 24 against
S7M-01766.2

Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths
Jackie Baillie Lab Lodged 28 Oct 2026

Defeated
22 for, 91 against
S7M-01766.3

Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths
Miles Briggs Con Lodged 28 Oct 2026

Defeated
33 for, 67 against
S7M-01766.4

Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths
Thomas Kerr Reform Lodged 28 Oct 2026

Carried
36 for, 18 against
S7M-01766.5

Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths
Gillian Mackay Green Lodged 28 Oct 2026

Carried
76 for, 24 against

Supporters

2 MSPs

SNP 2

Show all 2 supporters by party

SNP 2

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

In the Official Report

8 contributions mention S7M-01766

29 Oct 2026

Alcohol and Drug Deaths (Public Health Approach)
Clare Adamson SNP Meeting of the Parliament

The next item of business is a debate on motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotland’s public health approach to preventing alcohol and drug deaths.14:35
29 Oct 2026

Decision Time
Katy Clark Lab Meeting of the Parliament

There are seven questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that amendment S7M-01766.2, in the name of Jackie Baillie, which seeks to amend motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotl…
29 Oct 2026

Decision Time
Kenneth Gibson Meeting of the Parliament

The question is, that amendment S7M-01766.4, in the name of Thomas Kerr, which seeks to amend motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotland’s public health approach to preventing alcohol and drug deaths, be agreed …
29 Oct 2026

Decision Time
Kenneth Gibson Meeting of the Parliament

The next question is, that amendment S7M-01766.5, in the name of Gillian Mackay, which seeks to amend motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotland’s public health approach to preventing alcohol and drug deaths, be…
29 Oct 2026

Decision Time
Kenneth Gibson Meeting of the Parliament

The next question is, that amendment S7M-01766.3, in the name of Miles Briggs, which seeks to amend motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotland’s public health approach to preventing alcohol and drug deaths, be a…
29 Oct 2026

Decision Time
Kenneth Gibson Meeting of the Parliament

The next question is, that amendment S7M-01766.1, in the name of Adam Harley, which seeks to amend motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotland’s public health approach to preventing alcohol and drug deaths, be ag…
29 Oct 2026

Decision Time
Kenneth Gibson Meeting of the Parliament

The next question is, that motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotland’s public health approach to preventing alcohol and drug deaths, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.
29 Oct 2026

Decision Time
Kenneth Gibson Meeting of the Parliament

The result of the division on motion S7M-01766, in the name of Maree Todd, on strengthening Scotland’s public health approach to preventing alcohol and drug deaths, as amended, is: For 76, Against 24, Abstentions 14.Motion, as amended, agr…