Glasgow politicians call for urgent action on safe consumption rooms
The SNP says "saving lives lost to drugs requires bold action".
SNP politicians representing Glasgow have written to the Home Secretary to call on the UK government to urgently fund a pilot safe consumption facility in Glasgow, following recommendations from a report from Westminster’s Home Affairs Committee.
The Home Affairs Committee report suggested that hygienic, safe, and secure consumption rooms could help to reduce harm and deaths associated with illicit drug use, and recommended the scheme be piloted in Glasgow – a step that the SNP has repeatedly called for.
READ MORE: Scottish drug deaths drop by 21% to lowest level since 2017.
Long term outlook
The report also called for drugs policy to sit within the Department of Health and Social Care alongside the Home Office, so that targeted public health interventions can be used to reduce patterns of illicit drugs use in the long term.
Signed by 13 Glasgow SNP politicians, the letter said that tackling problematic drugs use required “bold and courageous” thinking and argued that, if the UK government ignores the report’s recommendations and continues to block Scotland’s ability to implement life-saving work, the relevant powers be devolved to Holyrood so action can be taken.
READ MORE: Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire are worst in Scotland for drug deaths.
Commenting SNP MSP Kaukab Stewart said:
“Far too many lives in Scotland are still being lost to drug misuse, and we need direct, bold and courageous thinking if we want to turn the tide on these statistics. While the most recent drugs deaths statistics showed a small improvement, much work is still urgently needed.
READ MORE: Yousaf must back Right to Recovery Bill for drug addicts, says Ross.
Removing the stigma
“For years now the SNP has called for the funding of safe consumption facilities, so that people who use illicit drugs can do so in a safe and supervised environment, which removes the stigma that so often prevents people from accessing the help they need and now, a Tory-led committee agrees.
“Westminster needs to take heed of their committee’s recommendations and start treating problematic drugs use like the public health emergency that it is. If not, they should at least devolve the appropriate powers to Scotland so that we can make our own policy and implement safe consumption facilities so that people involved with illicit drugs are treated with the compassion and respect they deserve.”