Hundreds of babies born addicted to drugs and alcohol

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton is calling for more cash to be invested in drug and alcohol services after “utterly heart-breaking” figures showed at least 852 babies have been born addicted since April 2017.

A total of 173 such births were recorded in both 2019-20 and 2020-21, down from 205 in 2018-19 and 249 in 2017-18.

In addition to this, a further 52 babies were born addicted in the first part of 2021-22, according to the figures, which were compiled by the Scottish Lib Dems using data obtained under Freedom of Information.

Mr Cole-Hamilton described the figures as being “utterly heart-breaking”, adding: “It is hard to think of a worse possible start in life for a newborn baby to have to endure.”

He criticised SNP ministers, saying: “In 2016, the Scottish Government slashed funding to drug and alcohol partnerships by more than 20 per cent. Valuable local facilities shut their doors and expertise was lost which has proved hard to replace."

“Scotland now has its highest-ever number of drug-related deaths. The Scottish Government has belatedly begun to repair that damage but there is so much more to do."

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Source: The Independent, 6 January 2022