Humza Yousaf has slammed reviews the UK Authorities may reclassify hashish as Class A - placing it on a par with heroin and cocaine.
The well being secretary advised the SNP convention in Aberdeen the Scottish Authorities was making an attempt to combat the drugs-deaths disaster with "one hand tied behind our again" as key legal guidelines stay reserved.
Tory dwelling secretary Suella Braverman yesterday signalled she was "receptive" to toughening legal guidelines in opposition to using hashish. It will put the UK at odds with most western international locations the place the drug has been extensively decriminalised for private use.
Yousaf attacked the UK Authorities and warned the NHS in Scotland was not secure from the Tories.
He stated: "The present Residence Secretary, Suella Braverman, has stated that she is open to the concept of classifying hashish as a Class A drug. How terrible, how regressive, how harmful a coverage is that?
"We're having to convey ahead progressive motion that can make a distinction so individuals aren't in that perpetual cycle of substance abuse and ending up in our justice system.
"We are attempting to interrupt that however with one hand tied behind our again as a result of essential parts of the Misuse of Medication Act are reserved. One of many first issues I do know we'll do upon independence is convey ahead - with all the suitable laws - probably the most progressive strategies of tackling that medication disaster."
Yousaf additionally claimed that independence would take away the "very actual" risk of the NHS being sold-off by the Conservatives.
"Let me make it clear - in the case of an impartial Scotland, our NHS will all the time stay public arms. We'll by no means, ever sell-off our NHS. And the earlier we're impartial, the earlier we do away with that risk of the Tories promoting off our NHS."
Following Yousaf's feedback a spokesperson for Liz Truss stated her authorities couldn't be making hashish a Class A drug regardless of the suggestion that Braverman would again the change.
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