A CANDLELIT procession to remember the 1187 people who died from drugs in Scotland last year was held in Glasgow last night.

Around 300 men, women and children took part in the walk in Springburn.

Campaigners calling for increased investment in residential rehab and a range of recovery services called on the Scottish Government to act and start listening to expert groups with decades of experience.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick was at the event, where he heard from people who have been through recovery recently and decades ago.

It was organised by Faces and Voices of Recovery (Favor Scotland) and held at Springburn Parish Church.

The meeting also heard from politicians from the SNP, Labour and the Tories who joined the procession.

The church bells rang out as Rev Brian Casey and Annemarie Ward and Natalie MacLean of Favor led the procession through the streets, before a meeting back in the church.

Earlier, 800 wooden crosses were planted in the church garden.

A record 280 people died in Glasgow from drug-related deaths last year, and across Scotland the figure hit 1187. This year the number is expected to rise considerably higher again.

Favor has published a report with 23 recommendations to improve treatment for those seeking help to recover.

Favor community director Ms MacLean issued a direct plea to Mr FitzPatrick.

She said: “Please help us. We are dying in our thousands.

“Last year 1187 people died of a preventable death.”

She called for more residential rehab and said there is a demand for services.

She added: “Last year 1929 individuals sought residential rehab and 200 got the treatment. Why are we denying people treatment and parking them on methadone?”

Mr FitzPatrick promised action.

He said: “We need to look at all the evidence-based treatment solutions, even if they are controversial.

“There is no magic bullet to what is a complex issue.

“But I have no doubt you are very much part of the solution. I promise to do all I can to reduce the deaths going forward.”

Ms Ward, chief executive of Favor Scotland, whose campaign message is “You keep talking, we keep dying”, responded to Mr Fitzpatrick.

She said: “Talk is cheap, Joe.”

Ms Ward said there were only 14 rehab beds available in Glasgow.

She added: “Glasgow’s drug and alcohol partnership says there’s a lack of demand for residential rehab.” She said that was not true.

She said if a hotline was advertised on the news there would be thousands seeking residential rehab.

The meeting also heard from Paul Sweeney, and Anne McLaughlin, Labour and SNP candidates in Glasgow North East, respectively.

It also heard from Annie Wells, Glasgow Tory MSP, and Thomas Kerr, a Glasgow councillor and Tory candidate in Glasgow East.

Maryhill and Springburn SNP MSP Bob Doris spoke, as did SNP councillor Graham Campbell and Labour’s health spokeswoman Monica Lennon.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard sat in the audience and listened to the speeches.

Mr Sweeney said decision-makers at Westminster have shown “indifference”, a “lack of empathy” and “ignorance” whenever he raised the issue.

Ms McLaughlin said she wants people to understand “that people with addictions are much more than their addiction.”

She added it should be a public health issue, not a criminal matter.

Ms Wells said the drugs summit proposed in Glasgow, which the Evening Times called for in July after the record figures were revealed, “must happen”.

She said she has written to the UK and Scottish governments to tell them so.

She said: “Stop talking, start acting.”