The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has pushed the SNP to introduce more drug consumption rooms, claiming they “keep people safe”.
In light of Scotland’s rising drug-related deaths, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP argued that allowing addicts to inject themselves without fear of arrest would also “present new pathways for treatment and recovery”, but campaigners say such a move would exacerbate the problem.
National Records of Scotland reported that 1,172 people died of drug misuse in 2023, a rise of 121 deaths on the previous year. The figures are now almost five times higher than 1996, when records began.
Decriminalisation
Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray stated: “We will continue to do all we can to reduce harm and deaths. Through our national mission on drugs we are taking a wide range of evidence-based measures.
“These include widening access to treatment and support through the implementation of our medication assisted treatment standards, increasing the availability of residential rehabilitation, supporting the opening of a safer drug consumption facility pilot, and widening access to life-saving naloxone.”
Last year, Glasgow officials backed the introduction of £2.3 million pilot scheme for a so-called safe consumption facility. Due to open next month, it will become the first prosecution-free drug zone in the UK.
Although drugs laws are decided at Westminster, the Scottish Government can set policy on how those laws are applied within the Scottish criminal justice system.
‘No freedom’
The Scottish Drugs Forum has already proposed that the Glasgow facility should be expanded to embrace the smoking of crack cocaine and heroin, not just injection.
But Annemarie Ward of drugs charity FAVOR UK said drug rooms just lead “to more substitute prescription drugs”.
“If you are not providing services that can help people to get freedom from addiction, then you are simply offering palliative care.”
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