A report on Scotland’s high number of drug deaths…’
Regulars will know that Scotland’s ‘record drug deaths’, a great favourite with our MSM and opposition politicians have been falling for some time but in a news vacuum many won’t have heard of it. I note a shift to ‘high number’ as BBC Scotland begin to adjust to the fact that the record is now three years old.
Reporting Scotland today, all day no doubt, is perhaps getting a last one in before ‘we’ all notice the facts.
So far, in 2021, suspected (Police Scotland data) drug deaths fell by 8%. This was not reported widely.
From January to March 2022, they fell by 27%! This was not reported either.
Also not reported, this contributory factor – ‘NHS Scotland beats drug treatment target again‘:
Sources:
https://www.gov.scot/news/latest-suspected-drug-deaths-report/
Talking-up Scotland 
On Good Morning Scotland, the feature was introduced by reference to Scotland’s ‘record high’ drugs death rate. There was then reference to the inquiry with emphasis on the fact that the previous chair had resigned because of ‘pressure to speed up the inquiry’. So, having set the negative tone, we were then told that the report would be released ‘later today’.
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And you can bet your bottom dollar if the report has anything positive to say no further mention of the report will be made/broadcast/alluded to.
This is the usual way the media in Scotland handle these things. I have seen them do it with reports on speed cameras on A9, tourism and Education to name but a few.
The media get advanced copies – embargoed until the actual release – so know what is in them so immediately before the scheduled public release of the report they run stories rehashing everything negative that has been said on the subject then silence about the actual report.
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Sadly, Commonweal has a feature on this day, delivered in a ‘no-nonsense’ tone, purporting to go beyond the usual ‘political in-fighting’. The article is prompted by the proposed bill by Labour MSP, Paul Sweeney and, reads as if it is based on a press release by him. It is projecting – gleefully and hopefully grim? – that this year will see the TENTH SUCCESSIVE RISE (my emphasis).
The piece does indicate that poverty and associated contributory issues are at the root of this, but, given the absence of any redistributive policies by Starmer, will Mr Sweeney’s bill be other than grandstanding? Mr Sweeney is currently at odds with Scottish Labour because he wants to stand for Westminster AND remain an MSP.
Of course drug deaths require a serious response and that is what today’s Inquiry report seeks to do. Mr Sweeney is making an opportunistic pre-emptive strike.
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It’s important to remember that ”good news” is a cause of serious anguish if not actual pain to the po-faced newsreaders of BBC Misreporting Scotland and its other offshoots .
So have some compassion for them when next you hear that Scotland’s NHS is performing better than ”the nation’s ” or that the Scottish Government is more trusted than ”The Mother of all Liars” at Westminster .
These poor souls will be grimacing and hiding the pain as they spout Scotland’s good news through clenched teeth
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O/T.
The Lords Communications and Digital Committee are proposing a “household levy” (poll tax) to fund a future BBC (whether you watch it or not).
They also recommend the BBC reforms itself while it can, pointing to a lack of connection with certain audiences–the main one being Scotland, which has been dissatisfied with the BBC for years now.
You would imagine this point would be a debating topic in “Scotland’s” media, but of course, this is a topic the media like to keep quiet about.
Scots being charged a poll tax to watch Scotland being endlessly gaslighted, English sport, news, history and politics.
Hush–don’t tell the Jocks what is being proposed.
Print what Lord Baron Ffoulksakia is blathering on about instead.
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And this… Note the carefully constructed framing… https://archive.ph/zEJVn 🙄
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