Rishi Sunak has rejected a call by the Scottish government for the possession of drugs to be decriminalised.
Elena Whitham, Scotland’s drugs policy minister, said the personal use of banned substances should be “treated as a health, not a criminal matter”.
Those found in possession of drugs should be “treated and supported rather than criminalised and excluded”, the Scottish government said.
But because drugs policy is reserved to Westminster, the Scottish government is powerless to introduce the change itself.
Whitham said: “We want to create a society where problematic drug use is treated as a health, not a criminal matter, reducing stigma and discrimination and enabling the person to recover and contribute positively to society.
“While we know these proposals will spark debate, they are in line with our public health approach and would further our national mission to improve and save lives.”
Asked whether the prime minister would support such a policy, his spokesman said: “No. There are no plans to alter our tough stance on drugs.”
The rate of drugs deaths in Scotland is three times higher than the rest of the UK.