SDF's annual
#StopTheDeaths conference 2025
Prioritising people - from politics to practice
Day 1: 27 August 2025 - DAY 2: 28 August 2025
Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow
10am - 4pm
Scotland’s largest
drug-related conference returns
Scottish Drugs Forum’s annual #StopTheDeaths conference returns in 2025 with a two-day event dedicated to reducing drug-related deaths and harms. This year’s conference takes place on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 August at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow.
Timed to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, the conference will bring together key stakeholders, including people with lived and living experience, policymakers, service providers, health and social care professionals to explore democratic policy development, service improvement, and harm reduction practices.
The programme will feature a mix of panel discussions, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities, with a focus on policy and practice in Scotland and internationally. A pre-conference lived and living experience event will shape discussions, ensuring that the voices of those directly impacted remain central to the conversation.
DAY 1: 27 August 2025
Day 2: 28 August 2025
Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow
10am - 4pm
Day One
Developing evidence-based policy and strategy:
- Delegates will be joined by people with living experience, people developing policy and elected representatives to discuss recent developments in the way policies are produced.
Day Two
Developing evidence-based services:
- Delegates will be joined by people developing and delivering innovative practice as well as people with living experience engaged with these services to discuss progress made and the future service provision.
Conference programme
For the full programme for the #StopTheDeaths Conference 2025 click below.
DAY #1 - Wednesday 27 August
DAY #1 - Wednesday 27 August 2025
09:30 Refreshments, Networking and Exhibition Stands
10.00 Welcome and introduction
Kirsten Horsburgh, CEO, Scottish Drugs Forum
Session 1 - opening session
10.15 Conference Opening: Pre-Recorded Video Message
Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
10.25 Update on Scotland’s National Drugs Mission
Maggie Page, Head of Drug Strategy Unit, Scottish Government
10:40 Statement from Advocates For Change Event
Introduction and panel session
Jason Wallace and Living Experience Advocates
11:25 Call to Action
Families Campaign For Change
11:30 Refreshments, Networking and Exhibition Stands
Session 2 - Amplifying Voices: Shaping Media Narratives
12.00 Chair’s introduction Leo Jefferys, EuroNPUD
12:05 Media disinformation and working in adverse environments
Péter Sárosi, DrugReporter
12:35 Framing Addiction: Media Representations & the Impact on Societal Perceptions in Glasgow
Thomas Delaney, YouthWISE
12:45 Living Experience Magazine and peer-led media for Scotland
Hannah Westwater & Billy McKay, SDF and Peer Editorial Board
13:00 Panel Discussion and Question and Answers
13:15 Lunch, Networking and Exhibition Stands
Session 3 - Shaping the Future: Advancing Drug Policy in Ireland and Scotland
14.15 Chair’s introduction Aileen O’Gorman, University of West of Scotland
14:20 Irish Drugs Policy and the Citizen’s Assembly
Tony Duffin, Progressify (Ireland)
14:40 Q&A
14:45 The People’s Panel on Reducing Drug Harm and Deaths in Scotland
Ali Stoddart, Scottish Parliament and People’s Panel Member Emma McDonald
15:05 Q&A
15:10 Refreshments, Networking and Exhibition Stands
Session 4 - Party Political Panel Discussion
15:25 Chair’s introduction Aileen O’Gorman, University of West of Scotland
15:30 Political Panel Discussion
Audrey Nicoll MSP (Scottish National Party)
Paul Sweeney MSP (Scottish Labour)
Patrick Harvie MSP (Scottish Green Party)
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
Douglas Ross MSP (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party)
15:55 Close – Jason Wallace, Scottish Drugs Forum
From 18.00 Evening Networking Event
DAY #2 - Thursday 28 August
DAY #2 - THURSDAY 28 August 2025
09:30 Refreshments, Networking and Exhibition Stands
10.00 Welcome and introduction
Kirsten Horsburgh, CEO, Scottish Drugs Forum
Session 1 - Driving Change in Safer Consumption: Practice, Experience, and Impact
10.05 Chair’s introduction – Councillor Allan Casey, Glasgow City
10:10 Safer Consumption in Dublin
Eddie Mullins and Geoff Corcoran, Merchants Quay Ireland
10:25 Safer Consumption in Glasgow
Lynn McDonald and Dan Daly, The Thistle
10:40 What outcomes can we expect and measure?
Professor Sharon Hutchinson, Glasgow Caledonian University
10.50 Developments in Northern Ireland
Iain ‘Buff’ Cameron, Extern
11:05 Panel discussion and Q&A with people with living experience
11:20 Refreshments, Networking and Exhibition Stands
keynote speaker
11:50 The Irish Experience
Senator Lynn Ruane, Seanad Éireann
12:10 Q&A
Session 2 - Improving Access and Quality in Drug Treatment
12.15 Chair’s introduction – Trina Ritchie, NHS GGC
12:20 Choices and support in medication assisted treatment
Katy MacLeod and Sam Stewart, Scottish Drugs Forum
12.35 Benzodiazepine prescribing in Fife
Kelly Renfrew and Susie Duff, NHS Fife
12:50 Panel discussion and Q&A with people with living experience
13:05 Lunch, Networking and Exhibition Stands
keynote speaker
14:05 Maree Todd, Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy
Session 3 - strengthening advocacy for change
14.15 Chair’s Intro – Tom Bennett, Scottish Recovery Consortium
14.20 Reforming UK Drug Policy: Decriminalisation and Advocacy
Niamh Eastwood, Release
14.35 Advancing Advocacy in Scotland
Jed Brady, Reach Advocacy
14:50 Panel discussion and Q&A with people with living experience
15:05 Refreshments, Networking and Exhibition Stands
Session 4 - Conference Reflections
15:30 Chair’s intro – Wez Steele SDF
15.35 Conference listeners:
Andy McAuley – Glasgow Caledonian University, Chelsea Cameron, Activist and Campaigner, Trish Tracey, Turning Point Scotland, Derek Watt, Scottish Recovery Consortium
15.55 Call to Action
Kirsten Horsburgh, Scottish Drugs Forum
16.00 Close
Both days of the conference will include access to stalls from a range of organisations working across Scotland to improve services and supports to people with living experience, families and communities.
EVENT SPEAKERS
Lynn Ruane
Lynn Ruane is an independent Irish politician, who has served as a Senator and the deputy leader of the Civil Engagement Group in Seanad Éireann since 2016.
Lynn is from Tallaght an historically underserved and neglected community in Dublin.
A long-time community and drugs worker, Lynn now champions the causes closest to her heart and community in Ireland’s parliament.
Lynn has tabled bills pursuing harm reduction in drug policy, meaningful rehabilitation in criminal justice, a fairer child maintenance system for lone-parents, and the cessation of the misuse of non-disclosure agreements.
In addition to her legislative work, Lynn has been a member of parliamentary Committees, including Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth, Justice, and Drugs Use.
Lynn is also a writer and screenwriter; the creator of the award-winning podcast ‘Conversations on the Margins’; co-presenter of the RTÉ documentary ‘Lady Gregory – Ireland’s First Social Influencer’ with Miriam Margolyes. Her first feature length film, ‘Ready or Not’, premiered at the Dublin International Film Festival in 2025.
Neil Gray MSP
Neil Gray MSP was born and brought up in Orkney and was educated at Kirkwall Grammar School. He graduated from the University of Stirling in 2008 with a first-class Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in politics and journalism.
He was elected to represent Airdrie and Shotts Constituency at the 2001 Scottish Parliament election. Prior to becoming an MP, Mr Gray worked for former Scottish Government Health Secretary Alex Neil MSP as his Airdrie and Shotts constituency office manager.
Peter sarosi
Péter Sárosi is the Executive Director of the Rights Reporter Foundation. He is a human rights activist and drug policy expert, the founder and editor of the Drugreporter website since 2004, the author of countless articles, co-author of books and director of films about harm reduction and drug policy reform.
As a member of the @drugreporter_rrf video advocacy team, he has produced videos about drug policy issues in a number of countries. These videos are now part of a unique online drug policy video library.
We are delighted that Péter will be joined by his colleague István Gábor Takács, a human rights activist, videographer and trainer. Together they will capture the essence of the conference on film and will be interviewing people throughout the event.
Tony Duffin
Tony Duffin will be speaking at the first day of our #StopTheDeaths Conference on 27th August. Tony’s presentation will dive into Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use as a powerful example of deliberative democracy. It covers the assembly’s processes and the diverse range of perspectives involved. From live streaming and media coverage to impactful recommendations, this presentation will explore how the assembly worked in practice and whether it has truly shaped change.
Tony Duffin is a leading harm reduction advocate. He recently stepped down as CEO of Ireland’s Ana Liffey Drug Project, where for 20 years he championed low-threshold, harm reduction approaches for people who use drugs, particularly those experiencing homelessness and complex health needs. During his tenure, he led initiatives including mobile harm reduction units, responses to crack cocaine, and co-case management with police.
Tony played a pivotal role in securing legislative approval for Ireland’s first supervised injecting facility, and Ana Liffey’s early work on harm reduction at festivals helped pave the way for national drug checking initiatives. Internationally, he has advised on harm reduction and drug policy in Colombia, Ukraine, and the UK.
Eddie Mullins & Geoff Corcoran
Eddie Mullins and Geoff Corcoran from Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) will be speaking at our August conference!
Their presentation will offer a powerful insight into the journey of establishing Ireland’s first Medically Supervised Injection Facility (MSIF).
Eddie Mullins was employed by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) for over 32 years, where he acquired a deep understanding of the challenges faced by people living on the margins of society and has developed strong relationships across both Government and the NGO sectors, including Merchants Quay Ireland teams in the prisons.
As CEO of MQI, Eddie is working to build on the success of MQI, to expand and collaborate further with current and potential stakeholders and to continue to support the most vulnerable people in society as they navigate through the complexities associated with addiction, homelessness, and poor health.
Geoff Corcoran is the Head of Operations with Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI). Geoff has 25 years’ experience working in the areas of homelessness, addiction and social housing, working with General needs and Specialist Housing Associations. Geoff has an MBS in Co-operative and Social Enterprise from University College Cork. MQI is Irelands largest providers of addiction and homeless services providing a range of low-threshold harm reduction, detox, rehabilitation and aftercare services. In 2024 MQI opened Irelands first Medically Supervised Injection Facility.
Sharon Hutchinson
Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, Sharon Hutchinson from Glasgow Caledonian University, will be speaking at our #StopTheDeaths Conference this August.
Sharon leads a broad research programme on the epidemiology of blood-borne viruses in Scotland, with a focus on evaluation of interventions to prevent infection and other drug-related harms among people who inject drugs. As lead investigator on multiple initiatives including Scotland’s national bio-behavioural survey of people who inject drugs (otherwise known as ‘NESI’), her work has informed national and international policies on the prevention of infectious diseases in this population group.
Sharon will be sharing insights on Glasgow’s response to high drug-related deaths and the recent HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs – including plans to evaluate the city’s pilot Safer Drug Consumption Facility (SDCF), The Thistle.
Kelly Renfrew & Susie Duff
Kelly Renfrew & Susie Duff are both Senior Addiction Nurses for NHS Fife Addiction Services.
Kelly & Susie’s presentation will be about Benzodiazepine prescribing in Fife and will be part of Session 2: ‘Improving Access and Quality in Drug Treatment’ on the second day of the conference which also includes a presentation ‘Choice and Support in Medication Assisted Treatment’ by Katy MacLeod and Sam Stewart from Scottish Drugs Forum.
Dan Daly & Lynn MacDonald
Maggie Page
Maggie Page heads up the Drug Strategy Unit within the Scottish Government’s Drug Policy Division. She has overall responsibility for the strategic delivery and oversight of the Scotland’s national mission on drugs.
Maggie has worked in the drug policy area for over seven years starting her Civil Service career as an analyst before moving to this policy role. Prior to joining the Scottish Government Maggie has worked for a range of third sector and public bodies.
Ian 'Buff' Cameron
Iain ‘Buff’ Cameron the Harm Reduction Service Manager at Extern will be giving us an update on what is happening in Northern Ireland.
Iain Buff Cameron is a drug user activist who has worked in the field for 25years and has been part of developing many on N.Irelands Harm Reduction initiatives. While working with Social Justice Charity Extern, Buff has recently opened a Harm Reduction Hub in Belfast City Centre which carters for the needs of people who inject drugs and in particular people who are street homeless. The centre enable people to access Needle Exchange, BBV testing and support, Wound care and many other essential services. The service seeks to be a one stop shop providing much needed services 7 days a week under one roof and we hope it will help demonstrate the need for a Overdose Prevention Site in the city.
Ali Stoddart
Ali Stoddart who is a Senior Participation Specialist at The Scottish Parliament who will be joining us on the first day of our conference for our session on ‘Shaping the Future: Advancing Drug Policy in Ireland and Scotland’ and will be joined by a People’s Panel Member.
Commissioned by the Scottish Parliament, a diverse panel of 23 randomly selected citizens came together to explore how Scotland can better tackle drug-related harms. In this session, Ali will share the journey of the Panel, from its formation to its recommendations, and explore its influence on scrutiny. A panel member will also join to offer a personal perspective on the experience and its impact.
Alistair Stoddart is a leading expert in participatory and deliberative democracy, with over a decade of experience designing and delivering innovative public engagement strategies. As Senior Participation Specialist at the Scottish Parliament, he has pioneered the use of People’s Panels to enhance committee scrutiny and policy development. Alistair brings a deep commitment to inclusive approaches and has worked extensively across government and civil society to embed meaningful public participation in decision-making.
Thomas Delaney
Thomas Delaney, Founder & CEO, YouthWISE where his presentation will be Framing Addiction: Media Representations and the Impact on Societal Perceptions in Glasgow.
This presentation explores how drug use has been portrayed in Glasgow’s mainstream media and the effects of those narratives on public perception, stigma, and policy. Drawing on critical discourse and thematic analysis, Thomas’s research highlights how media framing reinforces punitive measures while silencing the voices of lived experience. Thomas identifies emerging counter-narratives and advocates for a shift toward compassionate, evidence-based storytelling as a means of tackling stigma, promoting community development, and driving social change.
Jed Brady
Niamh Eastwood
Katy MaCleod & Samantha Stewart
Jason Wallace
Advocates for Change: Grounding the Conference in Living Experience
Taking place ahead of the main conference, Advocates for Change brings together people with lived and living experience of drug use to reflect, connect, and lead. The insights and priorities shaped through this gathering will inform the content and structure of the #StopTheDeaths 2025 Conference. This approach reflects SDF’s commitment to participatory policymaking and to centring the voices of those most affected in the response to drug-related harm in Scotland.
Read more about ‘Advocates for Change’: Here
Why we bring people together
The #StopTheDeaths conference exists because every drug-related death is preventable. We gather to challenge stigma, promote evidence-based solutions, and push for urgent action that prioritises people’s lives. By bringing together voices from across policy, practice, and experience, we aim to:
- Foster collaboration between key stakeholders to drive meaningful change.
- Amplify the voices of those with direct experience of drug-related harms.
- Explore innovative approaches to reducing overdose deaths and improving services.
- Create a space for dialogue, reflection, and action to shape the future of drug policy in Scotland.
Who should attend
Your voice matters. Individuals with lived and living experience, families, and those affected by drug use are not just attendees—they are essential leaders in shaping the future of policy and practice. We encourage attendance from people to join the conversation, drive change, and make an impact.
This event will be of interest to people working across the drugs and wider health and care sectors. People developing policy and designing, commissioning, managing and delivering services for people at risk of drug-related harms should make sure to attend this event.
Why attend
The #StopTheDeaths Conference is Scotland’s largest and most influential drug-related conference. Now expanded to two days, it offers a vital opportunity for discussion, learning, and collaboration across Scotland, the UK, and internationally.
Key reasons to attend:
Lived experience at the centre – Hear directly from people most affected by drug policy and practice.
Cross-national insight – Learn from innovation and developments in Ireland.
Policy and future focus – Engage with politicians and stakeholders as Scotland approaches the end of the National Mission to Reduce Drug Deaths and Harms.
Unmatched networking – Connect with professionals, advocates, and experts across sectors and countries.
Are you attending or speaking at our conference?
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Together, we can raise awareness and take action to #StopTheDeaths.
What is #StopTheDeaths
The Stop the Deaths initiative, hosted at www.stopthedeaths.com, advocates for urgent action to tackle Scotland’s drug-related deaths crisis. #StopTheDeaths raises awareness, amplifies the voices of those affected, and calls for policy and service improvements. The annual conference aligns with this initiative, offering a platform to discuss solutions and drive real change.
Past Events
Past Speakers
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