Drug deaths are a much bigger crisis for the UK than the coronavirus – we don’t need summits, we need action

The danger with these talks is that they make the right noises but produce little change. Each day that we do nothing, another 15 people die as a result, writes Ian Hamilton

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Nothing illustrates the difference in our perception of what is worthy of action than a comparison of the political attention given to coronavirus in contrast to those dying as a result of drug use.

Both are public health emergencies but so far it is drug-related deaths that have claimed thousands of lives a year, every year for more than a decade. So, while we are advised to wash our hands to minimise the spread of coronavirus, we have metaphorically washed our hands of those who use drugs and pay the ultimate price.

At last, the record number of drug-related deaths has prompted politicians to act. Of course, this being politics, we have an ugly display of one up-manship and point scoring, as the Scottish government held its drug summit the day before the Westminster convened one in Glasgow. At a time when we need collaboration politicians can’t bring themselves to share a room let alone solutions.