HC Türk message to the launch of the Scottish Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Abuse

Launch of the Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Use

First Minister,
Colleagues,
Friends,

Today’s launch of the Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Abuse is the fruition of hard work, commitment, and dedication to changing things for the better.

Yesterday was Human Rights Day, with a reminder that human rights belong to everybody - and that includes people affected by substance abuse. 

I welcome Scotland’s vital leadership on this issue to increase awareness and drive action that is based on evidence, and on people and their lived experience.

The Charter represents a shift away from punishment and towards prevention, treatment, and support for those affected by drug use, in line with the International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy. 

The Charter references key human rights, specifies how they apply in practice for people affected by substance abuse, and identifies avenues for people to turn to for support and remedy.

It focuses on the person, and not only on the drug use disorder. 

Input from the community and from people who use drugs, reflecting the unique needs of different groups, was crucial to get to this point.

This is a truly transformative approach that will help to ensure that drug policy is more humane and ultimately more effective. 

And it is desperately needed, because the previous approach - focused on criminalisation - has been a moral, practical, and societal failure. It has been punitive and destructive, with record numbers of drug-related deaths, and more people than ever with drug use disorders.

I urge all actors – government bodies, healthcare providers, and community organisations –fully to implement the Charter.

Harm reduction measures, such as drug consumption rooms and supervised injection facilities can prevent drug use disorder and related deaths. 

Prioritising people over punishment means more lives are saved.

I call on other authorities around the world to follow Scotland’s example and embark on human rights-centred reforms to their drug policies. 

You have my full support.