Action form Westminster and Holyrood is needed to tackle the drug crisis in Scotland MPs have found.

The Scottish Affairs Committee has published its report on Problem Drug Use in Scotland

It recommended a public health approach to tackling problem drug use and that drugs should be decriminalised for small amounts for personal use .

The Scottish Government must do more and funding cuts have made the problem worse it found.

It also called for drug consumption rooms to be permitted and for services to be properly funded by the Scottish Government.

Glasgow City Council and the health board wants to set up a facility but the Lord advocate said it needs legislation form Westminster to and the UK Home Office has refused to change the law.

Pete Wishart MP, chair of the committee, said: “Throughout our inquiry we heard tragic accounts of the pain and suffering that problem drug use is causing in Scotland. If this number of people were being killed by any other illness, the Government would declare it as a public health issue and act accordingly.

“The evidence is clear, the criminal justice approach does not work. Decriminalisation is a pragmatic solution to problem drug use; reducing stigma around drug use and addiction and encouraging people to seek treatment.”

The report also says the law must be changed to allow drug consumption facilities and argues if the UK Government won’t do it then it should allow Holyrood the power to do so.

The report by the cross- party committee also said that the Scottish Government must do more to ensure that drug services within its responsibilities are properly funded and supported.

The report states was critical of the Scottish Government cutting funding for services.

It stated” The Scottish Government could be doing more on the delivery of drug-related health treatment and that its decisions, such as that to cut funding for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in the 2016/17 Scottish Government budget, have made the situation worse.

The Committee concluded: “If the Scottish Government wants to call for more powers to tackle the drug crisis, it must demonstrate that it is doing everything within the powers it already has.”

Mr Wishart added: “Though there is plenty of action that the UK Government must take to tackle problem drug use in Scotland, the Scottish Government must also ensure that health services in Scotland are properly funded, and that funding cuts are not worsening the problem.”