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Online drug treatment directory
26/06/2007
A new online directory to help drug users and their families get the treatment they need was launched today.
The directory contains details of more than 220 community based and residential service offering drug treatment services throughout Scotland.
It has been funded by the Scottish Government and builds on the Scottish Drug Forum's online directory.
At Drumchapel in Glasgow, Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing said:
"This Government is committed to tackling the scourge of drugs which blights the lives of too many of our citizens and their families.
"We want to ensure that people affected by drugs get the help they need when they need it by improving access to effective treatment and increasing the choice of services available.
"Too often in the past people affected by drugs have not been able to get information about the full range of services available to them. That has raised understandable concerns that individuals do not always get the right advice at the right time to address their problems.
"Families trying to cope with the chaos that drug addiction brings should have the reassurance that their loved one is getting the right treatment and support they need.
"That is why we have launched this national directory of drug services - a suggestion from the Conservative Party, developed by the previous administration and now made a reality by this government. A tangible example of what can be achieved by working together.
"This initiative is just one element in improving access to drug treatment in Scotland. We acknowledge that in some areas waiting times for treatment are too long. We want to ensure that drug treatment services are achieving the best possible outcomes they can.
"Over the next few months I will be meeting with all the key players in the drugs field as this government works to help people affected by drugs get the treatment they require to help them lead drug-free lives."
The new upgraded directory will be maintained by the Scottish Drugs Forum.