The Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy is a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet but reports directly to the First Minister of Scotland.[1][2] The current Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy is Elena Whitham, who was appointed in March 2023.[3]

History

The office was created in December 2020 by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon following the resignation of Minister for Public Health, Joe FitzPatrick. His resignation was triggered by the figures released that showed Scotland again had the worst drug death rate in Europe.[4] Sturgeon stated that her government had taken their "eye off the ball on drug deaths" and appointed Angela Constance to take on the new dedicated role as Minister for Drugs Policy.[5][6]

Following the 2023 SNP leadership election, incumbent First Minister Humza Yousaf appointed Elena Whitham as the renamed Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy.[7]

Overview

Responsibilities

The specific responsibilities of the minister are:[1]

  • Tackling and reducing the harm of drug misuse
  • Supporting the rehabilitation and recovery of those living with drug addiction
  • Reducing the number of deaths from drugs

The responsibilities of the new Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy within the Yousaf government are still to be announced.

List of office holders

Minister for Drugs Policy

Name Portrait Assumed office Left office Party First Minister
Angela Constance 18 December 2020 29 March 2023 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy

Elena Whitham 29 March 2023 Incumbent Scottish National Party Humza Yousaf

References

  1. 1 2 "Minister for Drugs Policy". www.gov.scot. Scottish Government. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Scotland Act (1998), Only those appointed under Section 47 of the Scotland Act "attend" Cabinet. Junior ministers are appointed under Section 49 and may be "present".
  3. ↑ "Full ministerial team confirmed". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Drug deaths in Scotland: Minister Joe FitzPatrick loses job". BBC News. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Drug deaths in Scotland: Minister Joe FitzPatrick loses job". BBC News. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  6. ↑ "Sturgeon: We took our eye off the ball on drug deaths". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "Full ministerial team confirmed". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 30 March 2023.


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