A Holyrood candidate standing on a platform to tackle Scotland’s drugs deaths crisis has said Scottish Government decisions to slash funding for rehabilitation and outreach work has "caused pain to thousands of families".

Peter Krykant, who is standing as an independent in Falkirk East, spoke out after Nicola Sturgeon’s remark in the TV leaders’ debate on Tuesday night that she had taken her “eye off the ball” when challenged on the record numbers of Scots dying from drug use.