Tommy Canning

I watch and use this regularly. One of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Ian Wright taking his hat off when he sees Mr Pigden...#imacelebrity

Parliament will spend less than three hours on a Bill that could save thousands of lives. @theSNP @ScottishLabour @scottishgreens @LibDems @ReformUKScot Scotland remains the drug death capital of Europe. Families are still burying their children while politicians argue over process. And this Thursday, 9th October, the Scottish Parliament will decide whether to give the Right to Recovery Bill a fair hearing or kill it in just one afternoon. The debate is scheduled from 14:55 to 17:00. Less than three hours to decide the future of thousands of lives. For context, Parliament has spent more time debating dog microchipping, fireworks regulations, and the Deposit Return Scheme than it will on whether Scots have a legal right to treatment for addiction. That, in itself, says everything. A Parliament Out of Step with the Public The Parliament’s own consultation results were unambiguous: 80% of respondents supported the Bill’s principles. Among individuals: 80% full support. Among third-sector organisations: 73% support. That is not division, that is a mandate. Read the full analysis: Public Support for Right to Recovery Ignored facesandvoicesofrecoveryuk.org/public-support… A Stacked Deck Despite this overwhelming support, the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee recommended rejecting the Bill. Over 90% of witnesses they called came from the tiny minority who opposed or only partially supported it. Every single one was on the government payroll, senior civil servants, quango chiefs, or funded service providers. The very people the Bill was designed to empower families, people in recovery, and those with lived experience were shut out. Even Stephen Wishart, who co-authored the original Bill, wasn’t invited to give evidence. That is not democracy. It’s choreography. Meanwhile, the Nitazene Crisis Escalates While committees trade paperwork, the reality on Scotland’s streets is shifting faster than policy can react. Nitazenes, synthetic opioids up to 100 times stronger than heroin are now being found not only in heroin and fake painkillers but in recreational drugs like cocaine and MDMA. In a chilling development, the first nitazene factory in the UK has been discovered in Ayrshire. The danger is now home-grown. “These drugs are being found in substances used by people who don’t see themselves as addicts,” says Annemarie Ward. “That makes them more vulnerable because they’re likely to use them at home, alone, with nobody there to help if they collapse.” Public Health Scotland has issued warnings. Health boards are on alert. And still, Parliament plans to spend less than three hours debating whether Scots should have the right to access treatment. The Same Old Excuses The Committee’s report repeats the same tired lines: It’s about abstinence. No, it covers the full continuum of care. It will lead to litigation. Judicial review already safeguards rights in housing and mental health. Services can’t cope. Addiction already costs Scotland billions. The terminology is wrong. Changing words doesn’t save lives. These are not arguments; they are evasions wrapped in bureaucracy. FAVOR UK’s Myth-Busting Guide (2021) dismantled every one of them years ago. facesandvoicesofrecoveryuk.org/wp-content/upl… Charters Are Not Rights Instead of backing a legally enforceable right, the Committee retreated to a non-binding Charter of Rights a poster on a wall, not a guarantee in law. Rights without enforcement are not rights at all. Every other area of public policy housing, education, mental health required workforce expansion and investment to make rights real. Addiction deserves no less. This Bill doesn’t create new people needing help; it ensures that those already seeking help are not turned away. The Final Debate? : Thursday 9 October This is it. At 14:55 this Thursday, MSPs will debate whether Scotland’s people deserve a legally protected right to treatment and recovery. If they vote yes, the Bill moves to Stage 2, where details can be refined, amendments made, and consensus built. If they vote no, it dies. And with it, 5 years of work, hope, and progress. FAVOR UK is calling on everyone who believes in recovery, choice and hope to gather outside Holyrood from 1pm for photographs, press coverage and to show MSPs that behind this Bill are real lives, real families, and real loss. Bring your banners. Bring your voices. Bring your conscience. Let’s make recovery visible. A Moral Reckoning “It is not too late for Parliament to recover its conscience,” says Ward. “MSPs who block this Bill are not voting for scrutiny. They are voting for silence.” When a nation normalises maintenance without recovery, it quietly accepts that the poor may live and die in managed despair. This Bill is about more than policy. It’s about the moral soul of the country. Who Will Stand Up? The Committee vote went as follows: To reject: Jackie Dunbar (SNP), Emma Harper (SNP), Patrick Harvie (Green), Clare Haughey (SNP), David Torrance (SNP), Elena Whitham (SNP). To support: Brian Whittle (Conservative). Abstained: Carol Mochan (Labour), Paul Sweeney (Labour). Absent: Sandesh Gulhane (Conservative). Now it’s the full Parliament’s turn. Scotland must decide: Will we keep managing addiction as a chronic condition to be endured or will we finally make recovery a right? Call to Action Gather at the Scottish Parliament, 1pm Thursday 9 October Debate: 14:55–17:00 Tag your MSP. Share this post. Ask one simple question: “Who are you protecting, the people, or the institutions?” Read it here open.substack.com/pub/annemariew…

❗️🗣'The word addiction didn't feature once. We need a delivery plan on addiction and proper investment in mental health strategy.' 🎥🎤@SDLPlive MLA @CaraHunterMLA speaking to Chief Reporter @jamesgould23 about her concerns with Programme for Government on tackling addiction. 📍Today, The SDLP is using Opposition Day to focus on "the potential and opportunity that exists in the North West."

So much heart break experienced by children/adults who grow up with parental problem alcohol use. Powerful discussion today on @RadioBrendanRTE with @katrionaos A quarter of the adult population in Ireland have grown up with this devastating hidden harm from alcohol.

“This is Gaza” launches globally on YouTube today. The documentary is a powerful eyewitness account of life under siege, as filmmaker Yousef Hammash risks everything to document the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Watch and read Yousef's story: channel4.com/news/this-is-g…

Finn Harps FC are inviting applications for the roles of Secretary, Treasurer and HR on the club’s board of directors. Applicants should send their CV and any additional information to secretary@finnharps.ie. Full details: finnharps.ie/club-invites-a… #UTH🔵⚪️