The SNP is “failing to take the drastic action necessary” to turn around Scotland’s drug death crisis, the Conservatives have claimed.

The accusation comes ahead of the latest annual drug deaths statistics, due to be published on Friday by National Records of Scotland.

During the election campaign, Nicola Sturgeon admitted her Government “took our eye off the ball” on drug deaths.

The Scottish Conservatives are pointing to their rights to recovery proposals, which the party believes will help turn things around and halt Scotland being the drug deaths capital of Europe.

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The plans would ensure people have a legal right to drugs rehab treatment amid fears many have been turned away – although for some, formal rehabilitation may not be suitable.

Favor Scotland, which has previously supported the Conservative plans, and helped draw up the proposals, announced today that six other frontline drug recovery groups are now backing the bill.

The charity’s CEO, Annemarie Ward, has claimed that “SNP MSPs have privately told us they will back the bill and several prominent Labour MSPs have publicly voiced support for it.”

Scottish Conservative health spokesperson, Annie Wells, said: “Scotland’s drug deaths crisis is one of our most stark challenges. Communities like mine are being devastated year after year, with very few signs that the situation on the ground is improving.

“Nicola Sturgeon has admitted she ‘took her eye off the ball’ and drug deaths spiralled. But the SNP Government are still failing to take the drastic action necessary to sort this crisis.

“Our Right to Recovery Bill has been developed with frontline experts and we are encouraged that it is gaining such widespread support.”

She added: “We now need the SNP Government to stop stalling and support this Bill. Every delay costs lives.

“We have waited years for change but the extra funding we demanded and the new standards in force are not cutting it. The only way to guarantee everyone gets the treatment they need is to make it enforceable in law.”

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The Maxie Richards Foundation, Jericho House, Phoenix Futures, Sisco, Abbey Care and Recovery Enterprises are now backing the right to recovery plans.

Favor’s CEO warned “the drug crisis will be Scotland’s shame until the Government is brave enough to do what is necessary”.

Ms Ward added: “Just now, the Scottish Government is not acting quickly enough to tackle the drug death crisis on our streets. They are doing just enough to limit the damage, not to solve the crisis.

“We have developed a Right to Recovery Bill that is about equality and justice for all. It should not be controversial to demand that everyone gets the treatment they need.

“This Bill will have widespread cross-party support when it comes forward. SNP MSPs have privately told us they will back the Bill and several prominent Labour MSPs have publicly voiced support for it.

“The Right to Recovery Bill is necessary because at the moment, the same leadership is presiding over this catastrophic tragedy who were in charge when drug deaths spiralled out of control. There is no desire for radical change, or even for accountability, in Scotland’s broken treatment system. Progress is far too slow.

READ MORE: Tories publish right to rehab plans to tackle drugs deaths

“The Government’s new standards are not powerful enough to bring about the change we need to tackle this crisis. To save more lives, we need enforceable rights enshrined in law, so that nobody can be denied treatment again.”

Earlier this week, the First Minister refused to be drawn on the new drug deaths statistics, not wanting to “pre-empt” the publication.

She added: “The drug deaths toll in Scotland, as I have tried to be candid about, is far too high – shamefully high – and we’ve got to do more about it.

“We are doing a lot now to try to bring those numbers down. We take full responsibility for that. Contextually, it’s important to remember that the figures that will be published this week pre-date much of that activity.

“I wouldn’t expect those interventions, yet, to have an impact on those figures. To what extent Covid might have had an impact on those figures last year, we will have to wait and see what the statistics show and then consider that in the round.”

The SNP’s Drugs Policy Minister, Angela Constance, added: “When the Bill that has been discussed is actually published, we will be able to give it proper consideration to see if it will do what is claimed.

“Scotland suffers a terrible toll from drug deaths, leaving families grieving and in pain.

“My focus is on taking action now and delivering new investment to improve services and save lives.”