Drug consumption rooms crucial in reducing fatalities
This week, Scotland’s first Drug Consumption Room has opened in Glasgow after years of campaigning by clinicians and those with lived experience of battling addiction.
The Thistle Centre aims to provide a safe, clean space where drug users can take substances in the presence of medical supervision.
Drug consumption rooms exist to provide clean and hygienic facilities for drugs to be taken opposed to on our streets, our parks, our lanes or alleys.
The risk of users spreading harmful bacteria and blood-borne viruses such as HIV is reduced with fresh injecting equipment available on site.
At the new Thistle unit, those with medical training operate the facility and can intervene should something go wrong for a user, as well as providing support and advice for people who are giving up drugs.
There are health rooms where treatments are available too, for testing for diseases or having wounds checked and cleaned. The facility also has a recovery area, a shower room and a clothing and book bank.
It’s been obvious for a long time that something must change about the way we tackle drug misuse and I am glad that the barriers have been overcome. I hope that, for many, this facility will be an important step on their road to recovery.
Stigmatising and shunning drug users is wrong, and it does not work. It has contributed to Scotland having the highest number of drug deaths in Europe. Instead, we should be supporting people through addiction and treating them as the human beings they are.
The scale of the challenge is huge. In 2023, Edinburgh alone recorded a total of 111 deaths due to drug misuse. All these deaths were somebody’s son or daughter or friend or loved one, and they could have been prevented.
I hope Edinburgh learns from Glasgow’s experiences. Our priority must be the reduction of harm and support for those using drugs.
Safe consumption rooms alone will not solve all the issues associated with drug addiction and misuse. To start to truly tackle the crisis we also need to address poverty and inequality and invest in rehab services, mental health provision and safe housing.
So many of us will know friends or loved ones who have struggled with addiction in some form in our lifetimes.
The road to recovery looks different for every person, but they need reasons to stay recovered. We tackle addiction with love, care and support, and the Thistle can be part of that.
Lorna Slater is co-leader of the Scottish Green Party