What will Douglas Ross' Right to Addiction Recovery Bill do as key concern raised

Given Scotland remains the drug death capital of Europe, you would assume that politicians from all parties would agree with that principle. But vast concerns have been raised with Mr Ross’s proposed legislation, with his Bill poised to fall at the first vote on Thursday.

What is in Douglas Ross’s Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill?

The former Scottish Conservative leader’s legislation would give people formally diagnosed with having a drug or alcohol addiction, by a relevant professional, the legal right to receive a treatment and for that treatment to be provided no later than three weeks after a diagnosis.

READ MORE: Scottish alcohol deaths fall to five-year low - but Aberdeen hits a 45-year high

Treatment under the legislation is defined as including “any service or combination of services that may be provided to individuals for or in connection with the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness.”

Why are some people concerned about the proposals?

Concerns have been raised that Mr Ross’s well-intentioned legislation could have unintended consequences for people not formally diagnosed with an addiction or dependence but suffer significant harm caused by drugs or alcohol.

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) has warned the legislation will need to be “extended significantly to ensure all people who would benefit from alcohol services and treatment have a right to treatment” and “not just people who are diagnosed as addicted’ or dependent”, who “make up a relatively small proportion of people with alcohol problems in Scotland”.

READ MORE: Douglas Ross warned drug recovery bill could mean 'more people suffering greater harm'

It warned Mr Ross’s definition “would risk skewing service provision towards dependence and away from treatment services for other people with Alcohol Use Disorder”, which could “result in more people suffering greater harm including developing dependence”.

There is also a fear that stigmatising people with an ‘addiction’ or ‘dependency’ could cause long-term harm.

Dr Tara Shivaji from Public Health Scotland has warned such a label “can be a barrier to accessing services”, adding that “there are particular issues for women and ethnic minorities”.

Mr Ross himself has acknowledged that his legislation “still needs change” but has argued that his right to recovery only applying to a formal diagnosis does not take rights away from those without an ‘addiction’ who require treatment .

He has claimed that if his plans are not agreed, “more lives will be lost and it will take years before Scotland is in the position to do something tangible again”.

Is Scotland’s drug death crisis improving?

Despite an annual fall of 13 per cent, Scotland still has the worst drug death rate in Europe, with 1,017 fatalities recorded in 2024.

READ MORE: Drug deaths Scotland: Deaths fall to lowest level in eight years, as opiate and cocaine rates revealed

Alcohol deaths, despite being less high-profile than Scotland’s drug death crisis, accounted for 1,185 fatalities last year.

Does Scotland have a problem with access to drug rehab?

The Scottish Government has set a standard that 90 per cent of people referred for help with problematic drug or alcohol use will wait no longer than three weeks for specialist treatment.

In the quarter to the end of June 2025, 7,041 referrals to community-based services started treatment were made across Scotland with, 6,637, 94.3 per cent, involving a wait of three weeks or less. Two NHS boards, Lothian and Highland, did not meet the 90 per cent standard.