Stop The Deaths conference 2026
Wednesday 26 August and Thursday 27 August
Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow
10am - 4.15pm
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Our annual Stop The Deaths conference returns with a two-day event dedicated to reducing drug-related deaths and harms.
Timed to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, the conference will bring together key stakeholders, including policymakers, service providers, and health and social care professionals. Together, we will explore democratic policy development, service improvement and harm reduction practices.
Delegates will gain enhanced knowledge, fresh perspectives and actionable insights to strengthen their work.
People with living and lived experience are central to the programme on both days, ensuring learning is grounded in real-world perspectives and focused on meaningful change.
Together, we will stop the deaths.
Day One
Inequality, policy and the human impact of drug harms
The first day of our Stop The Deaths conference focuses on poverty and inequality as key drivers of drug-related harm, deepening understanding of how structural disadvantage, deprivation and social exclusion shape patterns of substance use – and highlighting the urgent need for responses rooted in equity and social justice.
Sessions will explore the impact of drug-related deaths on families and young people, alongside the significant – and often overlooked – role of alcohol in wider substance-related harm.
Set within a rapidly evolving political landscape, the programme will support delegates to understand and respond to national priorities, government decision-making and global drug policy developments.
Day Two
Emerging trends, substances and innovative responses
Day Two offers a forward-looking exploration of current and emerging issues in substance use, highlighting new trends, research and practical responses.
Sessions will examine substances of growing concern, including cocaine and ketamine, alongside innovative approaches such as drug checking services. Delegates will gain a deeper understanding of evolving patterns of use and their implications for practice, policy and service delivery.
A dedicated focus on neurodiversity and substance use will offer insight into how different cognitive experiences intersect with drug use, helping professionals better recognise and respond to diverse support needs.
Peer-led research will feature strongly throughout the programme, bringing forward real-world evidence and perspectives from affected communities to support meaningful, context-driven practice.
Conference programme
DAY 1 - Wednesday 26 August
09.30 | Refreshments and networking
From 9.55 prompt | Welcomes and introductions
Julie Heslin McCartney, Director of Operations, Scottish Drugs Forum
Kirsten Horsburgh, CEO, Scottish Drugs Forum
Session 1 - opening session
Advocates For Change event and introduction, statement of intent and panel session
Jason Wallace, Programme Manager Lived and Living Experience, SDF
Living Experience Advocates for Change group
The politics of health inequalities in Scotland and the UK
David Walsh, Senior Lecturer in Health Inequalities, University of Glasgow
Session 2 - Impact
Chaired by Laura Mahon, CEO Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD)
Young people’s experiences of drug-related deaths
Clued Up
Family experiences of drug-related deaths
Stephanie Morrison, Families Campaign for Change
Followed by a panel discussion and Q&A
Session 3 - National and International Policy Developments
Global Commission on Drugs
Ruth Dreifuss, a Founding member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy and former President of the Swiss Confederation
Alcohol and Drug Strategy
Alcohol policy in Scotland – where are we now, and what next?
Elinor Jayne, Director, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP)
Followed by a panel discussion and Q&A
Session 4 - Political Panel
Chaired by David Walsh, Senior Lecturer in Health Inequalities, University of Glasgow
Political panel discussion
CONFERENCE CLOSE
Conference closing remarks from Jason Wallace, Programme Manager Lived and Living Experience, SDF
DAY 2 - Thursday 27 August
09.30 | Refreshments and networking
From 9.55 prompt | Welcomes and introductions
Julie Heslin McCartney, Director of Operations, Scottish Drugs Forum
Kirsten Horsburgh, CEO, Scottish Drugs Forum
Session 1 - Neurodiversity and Substance Use
Chaired by Katy MacLeod, Research and Peer Engagement Programme Manager, SDF
Challenging the ‘moral failure’ label: ADHD, neurodivergence and drug use
Sarah Helm, Executive Director, Te Puna Whakati Pāmamae Kai Whakapiri (New Zealand Drug Foundation)
Drugs, autism and self stigma
AJ Martin, Co-Project Lead, Benzo Research Project
Followed by a panel discussion and Q&A
Session 2 - A Focus on Ketamine, cocaine and alcohol
The ketamine crisis – a demonstration of bad drug policy and the power of community
Mat Southwell, Managing and Technical Director
What’s the Crack? Experience of MAT Standards Implementation for
People who use Cocaine/crack in four Scottish Health Boards
Louise Horn, Peer Research Development Officer, SDF
Input from:
Lorraine McGrath, Chief Executive, Simon Community Scotland
Followed by a panel discussion and Q&A
Session 3 - Drug Checking
Chaired by Emma Crawshaw, CEO Crew 2000 Scotland
Establishing Scotland’s national testing and research laboratory: An update from Scotland’s first drug Checking service.
Professor Niamh Nic Daeid & Dr Lorna Nisbet, Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science
The Glasgow point of care drug checking service
Mary Clare Madden, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Alcohol & Drug Recovery Services
New Zealand’s drug checking programme
Sarah Helm, Executive Director, Te Puna Whakati Pāmamae Kai Whakapiri (New Zealand Drug Foundation)
Followed by a panel discussion and Q&A
Session 4 - Conference Reflections and call to action
Chaired by Emir Taha, Training and Development Officer (Peer Naloxone), SDF
With input from a representative of the Advocates for Change group
EVENT SPEAKERS
Ruth dreifuss
Sarah Helm (Pākehā, Kāi Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Waitaha)
David Walsh
David will provide an overview of health inequalities and their profoundly political influences within Glasgow, Scotland and the wider UK. This will include the long-term historical context, as well as the dramatic and politically driven changes to inequalities seen across the UK over the last 16 years.
David is a Senior Lecturer in Health Inequalities at the @uofglasgow, where he has been in post since February 2024. He has more than 30 years’ experience in health inequalities research, including 17 years at the Glasgow Centre for Population Health prior to taking up his current role.
AJ Martin
AJ will discuss the connections between autism, drugs and society. Grounded in historical, scientific and experiential knowledge, AJ will explore how drugs are often used as a tool for survival in a neuronormative environment, while inviting us to consider how we can enter meaningful dialogue with neurodivergent communities to reduce drug-related harms.
AJ is a researcher and harm reduction advocate based in London. He is a PhD candidate and Co-Project Lead at the @benzoresearchproject, as well as a Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) alumnus. Since entering the harm reduction and drug policy space in 2021, AJ has focused on platforming the voices of young people who take drugs.
He has co-authored a qualitative research report on young people’s benzodiazepine use, presented on topics including nitazenes, student-led harm reduction and autism, and worked with drug services across the UK to improve support and staff training.
Advocates for Change: Grounding Conversations in Living Experience
Taking place ahead of the main conference, Advocates for Change brings together people with living and lived 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 Stop The Deaths 2026 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.
What to expect from Stop The Deaths
DrugReporter attended last year’s conference – watch their documentary to find out more.
You can also find recordings from previous conferences on our YouTube channel.
WE HAVE EXHIBITION STANDS FROM:
Book your exhibition stand today and profile your work at our #STOPTHEDEATHS conference
This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your work, connect with key stakeholders and expand your network. Exhibition stands are limited – secure your place today to avoid missing out!
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