#StopTheDeaths Conference 2025

SDF's annual

Prioritising people - from politics to practice

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DAY 1: 27 August 2025

DAY 2: 28 August 2025

Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow

10am - 4pm 2025

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.

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  

Over the last eight years, SDF’s annual #StopTheDeaths conference has become Scotland’s largest and best attended drug-related conference.  Now expanded to two days, the event offers a unique opportunity to contribute to discussion, learning and networking with colleagues from across Scotland, the UK and internationally.     

To support the event, SDF is working with people with living experience from across Scotland to ensure that they are present and contributing to this event. The too often marginalised voices of people using drugs, using services and most affected by policy and practice will be central to the event.   

This year the conference will include significant contributions from colleagues working in Ireland where parallel developments and innovation offer the opportunity for mutual learning and support.     

As we approach 2026 and the end of the National Mission to Reduce Drug Deaths and Harms, the conference will include politicians of multiple parties on lessons learned and future policy development.   

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.

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.