BBC Reporting Scotland’s opening screens both tell a lie for dramatic effect and to distort the level of responsibility one man could have had for a problem with its roots in the Thatcher regime’s destruction of communities in Scotland’s industrial heartlands, forty years ago, and which was neglected by those ‘lodgers in power’, Scottish Labour, over the same period.
The BBC website actually tells a more truthful story than those Britnats in broadcasting:
In a statement, Mr FitzPatrick said he had spoken to the first minister and agreed to leave government. He said the “most heart-breaking and difficult problems” he faced as public health minister were the harms and deaths caused by drug use. “As the minister responsible for this area I, ultimately, take my responsibility,” he added. “It is clear that my presence as a minister will become a distraction, when we should be focused on achieving the change we need to save lives.” Ms Sturgeon thanked the Dundee City West MSP and added: “While the time has now come to make a change in the public health brief, no-one should doubt Joe’s hard work, dedication and sincerity.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55368574
No one, outside of Colonial Quay, mentioned firing or sacking.
STV didn’t:
Even the Herald just stated the facts:
Once more, I’m feeling a bit sick.
Talking-up Scotland 
The BBC are part of England’s Westminster propaganda war on Scotland
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I truly feel sorry for anyone in SG with the pressures they have to face in modern times, the constant media onslaught, particularly of the variety from Propaganda Quay, would drive anybody to drink or drugs.
No surprise really to see the dishonourable Smith sanction Fitzpatrick’s resignation headlined as “fired” or “sacked”, that’s what they do, or send out the antisemitic hunter to do an extended am-dram version for “Distorting Scotland”…
Another head on a plate, another hi-five in the editorial office, but another step closer to unemployment from Pacific Quay, and not a tear will be shed by the public. Karma will have it’s day.
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Repressing Scotland strikes again.
“This has been a Carson/Davis production.
A fiction dressed as truth. Who would know?
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Drug and alcohol abuse is an endemic problem in many Nordic countries but when you have a government (not ours) taking a political approach which ignores the fundamental issues,then it is difficult to fix things.
This aspect of human life will always exist but with the correct support from government can be ameliorated.
It is going to be interesting to see what our government comes up with but I suspect that we will be up against Tory intransigence yet again and nothing much will change.
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Scandinavian countries limit the sale of alcohol, for health reasons. The Scottish Gov brought in MUP. Labour was the only party to opposite it. It has cut consumption and lowered alcohol deaths.
There is a need for more total abstinence rehab facilities. Addiction should be treated under the NHS. Doctors should be above to refer people. People have to pay privately for treatment. There are less totally abstinence rehabs. For a few £thousands people can get help if the facilities were available. Under social care councils are putting people on methadone for years. Leading to early death. Total abstinence rehab is better and much more cost effective. Methadone is worse.
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He should never have resigned. Drugs Are a reserved power for Westminster. Sooner we get our freedom the better and we can promolgate our own policies like every other country
On Fri, 18 Dec 2020, 19:57 Talking-up Scotland https://www.scoop.it/topic/talking-up-scotland, wrote:
> johnrobertson834 posted: ” BBC Reporting Scotland’s opening screens both > tell a lie for dramatic effect and to distort the level of responsibility > one man could have had for a problem with its roots in the Thatcher > regime’s destruction of communities in Scotland’s indu” >
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The witch hunt goes on…I find it nauseating ( and terrifying at times) having to keep up and read about the media demonisation of Scotland’s democratically elected government, to work in the midst of it, as an SNP politician must require nerves of steel. You’d have to meditate every day to exorcise the BritNat states’ demons, or go really quite stark raving mad.
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Scottish Drug Forum has done a useful review of the links berween poverty and drug abuse. As the body says, it ius a complex picture.
Click to access Drugs__Poverty_Literature_Review_2007.pdf
“What are the links?
There are strong links between poverty, deprivation, widening inequalities and problem drug use but the picture is complex. It may involve fragile family bonds,psychological discomfort, low job opportunities and few community resources.
Relative poverty, deprivation and widening inequalities, such as income, are important factors that need to be given a more central role within the drug policy debate as they weaken the social fabric, damage health and increase crime rates.
Not all marginalised people will develop a drug problem, but those at the margins of society, such as the homeless and those in care, are most at risk.”
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Quite an old report. Interesting though, given that Scotland had been under English rule for so long.
Availability, how do drugs get into communities? It’s big business. How do drugs get into Scotland? Who is responsible for policing Scotland’s coasts and ports? Not the Scottish government.
In whose interests is it to ignore the supply of drugs, top down? ‘Too many unanswered questions’, to quote an anti independence BritNat, back in 2014.
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Radio 4 also described it as sacking – repeatedly.
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