The Scottish Government came under pressure today to take action on the "escalating" use of the heroin substitute methadone to treat addicts.
The Scottish Government came under pressure today to take action on the "escalating" use of the heroin substitute methadone to treat addicts.
Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie said the country was "over-dependant" on methadone just days after it emerged the annual bill for the drug reached £25.7 million.
Ms Goldie has now written to First Minister Alex Salmond with claims the total is 19% up on last year's £21.5 million bill.
She welcomed the government's national drug strategy, which recognises recovery and abstinence.
"However, as these figures clearly demonstrate, the problem is escalating, not diminishing," Ms Goldie outlined in her letter.
"It is all too evident that we have become over-dependent on methadone as a treatment and when we still have addicts waiting for over two years to get other forms of rehabilitation, the scale of the problem becomes clear.
"It is urgent that we move from the aspiration of a new approach, as outlined in the new national drugs strategy, to real action."
Ms Goldie asked the First Minister if any guidelines had been issued to regional drug and alcohol action teams following the "welcome change of political direction".
She continued: "We all know that the success of a new national drugs strategy is a long-term ask, one which will take years to become fully successful.
"But in the short-term, progress must be made and the figures I mention today suggest that this is regrettably not the case."
Tory MSP Bill Aitken revealed this year's figures in a Parliamentary answer by health minister Shona Robison on Wednesday.
The biggest bill run up by community pharmacies across Scotland's health boards was in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where it cost £11.588 million.
The next highest bill, £3.663 million, was in Lothian while the third highest, £2.218 million was in Ayrshire and Arran, followed by £2.1 million in Grampian.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "Evidence shows that methadone can help stabilise those at risk of falling back into chaotic lifestyles and that it is both valuable and necessary.
"However, this must be integrated more effectively with wider support services - housing, employment, psychological support - to fully address an individual's needs and help them recover and rebuild their lives.
"The drugs strategy recognises the need to help people move on from methadone through other treatments."
The spokesman said routes to recovery can vary, adding: "The challenge is to make sure that the right support is available at the time it is needed, rather than promoting one particular type of treatment."
