Today, Scottish Drugs Forum publishes our manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election: A National Mission for Change – Putting People, Evidence and Rights at the Heart of Scotland’s Drug Policy.
The manifesto sets out a forward-thinking and ambitious call to action, with five clear priorities for the next Scottish Government:
- Lead with courage, evidence and compassion: expand and mainstream harm reduction.
- Put people first by embedding rights, tackling stigma and placing living and lived experience at the heart of all policy decisions.
- Build a resilient, valued and sustainable workforce by ending short-term funding and supporting staff wellbeing.
- Take action now to protect the next generation – with long-term strategies that transcend parliamentary cycles.
- Be bold. Decriminalise people.
Kirsten Horsburgh, Chief Executive Officer at Scottish Drugs Forum, says: “The upcoming elections provides is a rare and meaningful opportunity to reinforce and accelerate Scotland’s shift toward compassionate, evidence-based and rights-led policy, ensuring that people with living and lived experience genuinely shape decisions at every level.
“Our message to candidates is clear: we cannot become complacent, and we cannot slow down. We must work collaboratively – across government portfolios, with the third sector and alongside the people most affected – to deliver the bold, sustained, transformational change that Scotland urgently needs.”
Scottish Drugs Forum is the national resource of expertise on substance use. Our charity provides evidence-based information to policymakers, practitioners, people who use drugs and their families – helping them to make informed, life-saving decisions.
While our name reflects our origins, we recognise that alcohol plays a significant role in Scotland’s substance use landscape. We exist to prevent harm, challenge stigma and champion wellbeing across all forms of use.