Members of the RSA Commission on Illegal Drugs, Communities and Public Policy attended an event at Holyrood on Monday 27 February to examine the issue of drugs misuse, and whether new approaches or legislative options are needed to tackle the UK-wide drugs problem.

Professor Anthony King, Chair of the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) Commission, and Commissioner Clyde Williams are pictured.

Susan Deacon MSP is a member of the RSA Commission.

She said: “As an independent body, the Commission has the freedom to consider properly what policies are currently working well and what issues could be better addressed. Bringing together in one room, RSA's members with key players from across the field of drugs policy and practice in Scotland, will greatly inform this body work from a Scottish perspective."

The day-long event at the Parliament provided a Scottish input to the Commission's consideration of current policy and practice on illegal drugs. Also attending were a range of people with an interest in Scotland's drug strategy.

Robert Porrer, regional chairman-elect of the RSA, with Dr Candace Currie of the University of Edinburgh.

Ken Cunningham of Hillhead High School, Glasgow and Judith Sischy of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools.

The outcomes of the discussions will be fed into the work of the Scottish Futures Forum at Holyrood.