DRUG addicts are being left "stranded" on methadone and not getting all the help they need to recover, Labour has claimed.

In a debate over the strategy to get people off drugs, the methadone policy was criticised and it was claimed some pharmacists are profiting from prescribing the heroin substitute.

Last year saw an increase in the number of drug-related deaths to 584.

In a debate in the Scottish Parliament, Labour and the SNP clashed over the future strategy for getting people off drugs.

Roseanna Cunningham, Community Safety Minister, said the government strategy was working and methadone was having an impact.

She said: "Does methadone reduce drug-related deaths, blood-borne viruses and crime? We know it does. Does it stabilise lives? Yes, it does.

"But methadone is only one of a number of treatment options available. We are clear it can be effective but only as a component in a package of care, treatment and recovery."

She said that only 14 of the almost 600 drug deaths last year were "wholly attributable" to methadone.

Labour however, claimed that methadone was being used as a top-up by some addicts and cash was being spent on treating people who are not interested in engaging with the programme and do not want to come off drugs.

Labour community safety spokeswoman, Jenny Marra, said the Government's drug strategy is unravelling.

She said the drug death increase represented a 20% increase on the previous year.

She said: "While we recognise the advantages that methadone brings as one part of a comprehensive drugs strategy, we need to know public money is being spent to do more than simply strand addicts in the system."

Earlier LibDem leader Willie Rennie told First Minister Alex Salmond he was concerned that pharmacists were being demonised for dispensing methadone.

He said: "Does the First Minister think it is right for frontline health professionals to be attacked for simply carrying out the Government's drug strategy, a strategy agreed on a cross-party basis in this Parliament?"

Alex Salmond said: "I think it is hugely important that we maintain the cross-party consensus on Scotland's policy against drugs.

"I think the Road to Recovery policy agreed by this Parliament is hugely important. That doesn't mean it is perfect and not capable of improvement and amendment."

stewart.paterson@ heraldandtimes.co.uk