Cole-Hamilton demands SNP act as 1,500 babies born addicted to drugs

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today called on the First Minister to urgently act on the number of babies who spend the first days of their lives withdrawing from drugs, calling for investment in recovery services and extra help for families.

Aberlour Children’s Charity is calling on the Scottish Government to invest in intensive recovery services for mothers and children affected by substance abuse. The charity say that this investment would allow them to increase the number of rehabilitation beds for mothers and children and to open new intensive perinatal services.

Earlier this month, Scottish Liberal Democrat research found that since 2017 at least 1,501 babies were born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)- showing signs of drug addiction because of their mothers taking legal or illegal drugs during pregnancy.

Speaking in this afternoon’s session of First Minister’s Questions, Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

“Before politics I was a youth worker, and I vividly remember the first time I saw a medical device known as a ‘tummy tub’.

“They are essentially buckets filled with body temperature water which simulate the womb in order to comfort babies going through withdrawal. It is needed because they are born addicted to drugs.

“Since 2017, at least 1,500 babies have been born with neonatal abstinence syndrome- showing signs of drug addiction like uncontrollable trembling, hyperactivity, distressed crying.

“Aberlour want to open more residential beds for mothers and babies. New intensive perinatal services.

“But, as things stand, all of the funding for this ends next March.

“Does the First Minister agree that these interventions require more government money and more certainty? Because Scotland desperately needs world-leading drug services. Because we need to stop people dying. And because we need to do more to help these babies who spend the first days of their lives addicted to drugs.”