TWO high-level drugs summits to be held in Glasgow have been accused of “more backslapping” – as a group working with people in recovery said it knew of nobody who had been contacted.

Meanwhile, campaigners will today plant 200 more crosses in a memorial garden to remember those who have died in Glasgow’s drugs death crisis.

Two summits will take place in Glasgow this month as the death toll continues to rise.

The UK Government has organised a drug summit in Glasgow for February 27, saying it has invited a range of people, including those with lived experience of drug addiction.

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The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council revealed they will hold a drug conference in the city the day before the UK summit – and said it will be led by people with lived experience.

However, neither the Scottish or UK governments when asked by the Glasgow Times could provide details of the individuals or organisations with lived experience who have been invited.

One key organisation working with people in recovery said they have had no contact from either government

Annemarie Ward, chief executive of Faces and Voices of Recovery, said: “None of the lived experience people we have been working with have been consulted or involved with this. That’s literally thousands of people in the last six months. It looks like another opportunity for backslapping and talk.”

Despite the events being just two weeks away neither government was able to provide an agenda.

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The UK Government said: “Our UK-wide drug summit in Glasgow will address in detail the challenges of drug misuse, which has a devastating impact on communities across the UK.

“We have invited people with personal experience of drug addiction, independent experts, charities, health bodies and senior police officers as well as representatives of the Scottish Government, such as Scottish public health minister Joe FitzPatrick and Catriona Matheson, chair of the drug deaths taskforce for Scotland. 

“Only by working together can we tackle the tragedy of drug deaths.” 

The Scottish Government said the discussions will help inform Scottish input to the UK drugs summit the following day.

Mhairi Hunter, of Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The original idea for a drugs summit came from the Glasgow Times who called for a summit focussed on the city allowing people with lived experience to lead the agenda. 

“We thought that was a good idea and still do. 

“The UK summit is not that. It’s being held in Glasgow but it’s not about Glasgow. It is very much focussed on policing and policy in the UK and has no lived experience involvement. That doesn’t make it wrong but it is not what was originally intended.

“Having one the day before will hopefully allow people attending the UK summit to hear specifically about Glasgow and to hear from those most affected by addiction.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We are working with Glasgow City Council to finalise the invitation list and the agenda and these will be issued within the next few days. 

“We’ve been clear the views and insights of people with lived experience must help shape how we tackle the high number of drug deaths in Scotland, and a wide range of representatives with lived experience and from recovery communities will be involved in the event.”