Drug abstinence 'might not be solution' for some users

Project manager at the North Edinburgh Drug Advice Centre, Danny Campbell, believes total abstinence is not the solution for some drug users.

He was speaking to BBC Scotland's social affairs correspondent, Reevel Alderson, in light of the latest figures showing a 23% rise in drug-related deaths.

Mr Campbell said that the Scottish government's Road to Recovery drugs programme, which was launched in 2008, had been distorted to become "just about abstinence".

He explained: "The Road to Recovery was about whole journey from chaos to an element that may not include abstinence.

"It may be that some of those clients are going to have medication of some kind to help them cope with life, whether it be physical health or mental health conditions, anxiety, depression and therefore total abstinence is never going to be a realistic place for them to be in."