A CHARITY chief was accused of “putting a PR sheen” on the drugs crisis after claiming a gritty awareness campaign was too negative.
Campaigners slammed Justina Murray for questioning the “vibe” of billboard ads featuring “sad and weeping” images.
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The Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs charity boss hit out at the 2021 Scottish Government campaign, in an appearance before MSPs.
The publicity drive was described as “hard-hitting” by then-drugs policy minister Angela Constance and featured pictures of a man, headed: “No, I’m not well. I have a drug problem.”
But Ms Murray told a Holyrood committee: “There’s so many more positive views and images we could show of people using drugs safely and people in recovery.
“We should be more generous with that kind of imagery.
“It’s all sad and weeping and just a very negative vibe.”
We told how cops’ figures suggested 1,197 Scots died due to drug use last year.
Last night Conservative MSP Russell Findlay united with a charity working to improve the lives of people affected by drug and alcohol abuse to condemn Ms Murray’s views.
He insisted: “The solution to Scotland’s drug death crisis is not to put a PR sheen on drug-taking being some kind of positive lifestyle choice. The campaign reflected the painful and miserable reality of Scots living with addiction.”
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And Faces and Voices of Recovery chief Annemarie Ward hit out: “The notion of promoting positive images of people using drugs, as suggested by Ms Murray, is not only profoundly misguided but also dangerously simplistic.
“Proposing there is a safe way to use drugs, which have devastated countless lives and communities, is not just irresponsible.
“It’s an affront to every family who has suffered the brutal realities of addiction.”
Last night SNP drugs and alcohol policy minister Christina McKelvie said: “Tackling stigma is a key part of our £250million National Mission on Drugs, making it easier for people to seek help without being judged saves lives.
“Our campaign underlined that a drug or alcohol problem is a health condition and encouraged people to see the personal story behind the stereotype.
“It was created with input from people with lived and living experience.”