Talks taking place to bring drug testing to Scotland's nightclubs

Talks have been taking place between a harm reduction charity and venues in Scotland regarding the introduction of a drug-testing service in the country's nightclubs.

The Loop have been running a scheme at music festivals in England this summer where users anonymously hand in substances to be checked to see if they're safe to take.

The organisation say it's helping to reduce harm and are hoping to bring the project north of the border.

Professor Fiona Measham, from Durham University, is one of the organisation's co-founders.

She said: "This type of service has been running for 25 years in the Netherlands and over a decade in Swizterland and Austria. You've got Spain, Portugal too; it's been running very successfully across Europe.

"Generally what they find is that it's very useful to find out about any dangerous substances in circulation, and then you can put out warnings."

The drugs that are handed into The Loop are destroyed after testing. Users are told what was found in their substances, and are also given a leaflet on harm reduction.

Professor Measham added: "We're hoping to be introducing the testing and the harm-reduction service across the UK to include Scotland as well.

"We're still at the early stages of negotiations in relation to Scotland. It's much more advanced in England but it will take quite a while, so we hope by next summer we can get the service off the ground north of the border.

"We work very closely with all the different agencies on site. We have to get the support of police, public health, the events themselves and the local authorities."

Figures released last month showed the number of drug-related deaths in Scotland was at a record level.

Donald MacLeod, owner of the Garage nightclub in Glasgow and chairman of the National Licensed Trade Partnership, believes the idea of drug-testing needs much more discussion.

He said: "If we're actually going to sit down and talk sensibly about it and look for a solution, then that's great and I'm all for it.

"But I don't think this, on its own, is the solution.

"Nor do I think it could be adopted on, say, the streets of Glasgow without a change in the law."

Donald's also keen to hear more about the charity's work in England.

He said: "What have the results been? Did it save lives? Has it been accepted?

"Up here we haven't got there yet. It's a zero-tolerance position from Police Scotland. We've had drug deaths, sadly, in nightclubs and at festivals. Drugs don't mix well with alcohol, we know that."

Professor Neil McKeganey from the Centre for Substance Use Research, is sceptical that the scheme could be put into practise here.

Talking about the potential flaws in the idea, he said: "If somebody hands in some pills that they've bought and asks if they can find out what's in them - and they do that and the drugs are then destroyed afterwards as the program-makers say they do - the only way that makes any sense is if the person has retained some of those tablets for their own use thereafter.

"But those aren't the tablets that have been tested.

"I don't think we should green light people's drug consumption on the basis that you can tell that their tablets or powder isn't cut with other dangerous adulterants."

In a statement, Police Scotland said their position on drugs remains one of zero tolerance, with their advice being to not take drugs at all.