Tiers Of A Clown

[Bytheloch]

Thread #3456

Released from our dirty T4, but still bamboozled. Let’s keep each other sane on here...

I struggle being home all the time. I went proper mad first lockdown. Seriously.

I’ve been out loads and loads done we we were allowed, bars, cafes, hotels, restaurants. Seen friends at home (when allowed). All very safe 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hands are tied - this still isn't detailed, and sounds like the same old, same old. Without more detail than Westminster reserved powers are somehow to blame for everything, we'll never know.

As I say, data clearly shows a street diazepam issue, and that has nothing at all to do with reserved powers.

Does hands tied just mean they’re not even going to address it?

The bigger question is why do so many Scots feel drugs is the answer?

Other cities have deprivation too. Is the the shear lack of hope.

NS/SG don't seem to understand the power of hope. Everything is so joyless at the moment.
Even Christmas is going to be any other day. Nothing different other than presents. Christmas isn't meant to just be about stuff.

@Liverpool9

And as a 'horrid English person' happily living in Scotland, your comment saddens me. This is an issue with the UK Government, not 'English people'. I've worked in Public Health in both countries and whilst not perfect, Public Health Scotland are progressive and overall very good. Here, our hands are tied as drug abuse is a reserved area and despite asking explicitly to have the power to change the relevant laws, the UK Government have refused. I am not 'blaming horrid English people' when I say that and neither are Public Health Scotland or the SG, it's just reality...

You just don't get it do you? I have nothing against English people but the Scotgov definitely do.

So what laws need to change honestly? Scotland has it's own legal system. Drugs can be dealt with as a crime issue or a public health issue both of which are in ScotGovs domain.

The Misuse of Drugs Act is a UK statute.

But the causes of Scotland’s drug problem are what need ti be tacked. And that is within the devolved gift of the SG.

@WouldBeGood

Drug policy needs to focus on poverty, deprivation, poverty and education. Not just drug education, but good quality school education which enables aspiration and the ability to move away from the hopelessness.

Well said.*@WouldBeGood* Still waiting to hear what powers the Scottish government need.

I feel quite passionately about this issue.

The victims in this aren't those who are usually commiting the crime. Once again they fail to understand about treating the root cause of issues. So chuck free meals at families rather than understand and deal with why children aren't being fed. Wait for some amendment to a law rather than deal with poverty and reasons that people get caught up in drugs in the first place or put in effective programmes to deal with addicts, shove untested elderly people into care homes to keep lots of empty beds and unused staff.

You'd have thought by the law of averages they might have actually managed to have done something right by now but it appears not. Chip on shoulder, blame westminster, throw toys out pram and stash away money they have been given to use for gobshite.

How did I not know you guys were here. Thankfully I can now express my thoughts on NS without getting hammered to a pulp.
How has she compiled this (scientific) -:) list yet she doesn’t follow it. Does my head in her spouting fourth every day, to me it smacks of not being a leader. You can’t do it all and be on top of it, good leaders delegate. Is seems it’s the Nicola show every blooming day. I now only switch on if there is going to be something happening rather than listen to her, clear, let me be clear, I do understand, rubbish phrases trotted put day n daily. Phew glad I got that said.

Welcome to the cauldron @Coquohvan :)

If we were following that chart then stirling would have spent this whole time in L1/2 with possibly a brief week at 3 (i can't remember if we ever went over 150?). Instead we've been either 3 or 4 since it started.

Yip they seem to want to throw money at the wrong end of the problem.
Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime.

Why aren't SG creating jobs?
Has Scotland lost more jobs per head than England due to Covid? What's SG doing to support any industry particularly those that are struggling, theaters, arts, soft play, nightclubs, aviation, sport?

This annoys me as a lawyer.

If you have legal criteria you should stick to them.

That’s the point of laws.

Coquohvan - that's almost a repeat of what I said after listening to her briefing yesterday!

"I understand how hard it is" - no love, you really don't. You don't understand how hard it is to keep a business afloat, while making sure your staff don't pick up your concerns, so they can still work as well as they normally do.

Good education and healthcare is the key to the exit from deprivation and thus drug taking in my view.

@Tomorrowisanewday whilst looking after children and caring for elderly relatives and keeping fit and paying the bills and keeping house walking dogs, keeping the car ticking over, sorting DCs at uni, cleaning, ironing, cooking, not seeing friends or family, not having holidays, being told this will go on and on.

Wouldbegood - don't get me started on cars - mine has been in the garage 3times in the last fortnight

Yes, she has no idea. She hasn't lost her job (yet) or been struggling to keep a business afloat, or occupy children, or have her marriage fall apart due to the stress of it, or be worried about the roof over her head, or dealt with the loneliness, the isolation, the fear and stress that they whipped up.

The pain of a covid times funeral, the cancelled weddings, the unhugged grandchildren, the warmth of a smile unseen, general human interaction, the loss of small freedoms, the dealing with the lack of sense in the "rules", the feeling of powerlessness and agency over your own life etc etc etc.

She knows nothing about any of these things, she really doesn't.

Surrounded by twats and sycophants and folk who don't know their arse from their elbow. At this point I'd actually rather Catherine whasterface back as she might actually start talking some sense in somewhere...

Anyway, what powers do they need? I’m interested as I’m very concerned about all this

I think i need to go and have a sit down now - i might be starting to feel better :o

Thanks for the welcome 👍

@WaxOnFeckOff feeling better?

WouldbeGood - improving education would be a good start. But kids need to believe there is hope of a better life at the end of it. That means decent paying jobs. Kids are the same the country over, if the person they see with the flash car is the local dealer that's what they'll aspire too. I may be being overly simplistic but...

Yes @Bikingbear education and aspiration. And opportunity