MPs recommend Scotland should pilot drug consumption rooms

Westminster's home affairs committee says Scotland should be able to pilot safe drug consumption rooms in Glasgow. Image: Paul Faith/Press Association.

Westminster’s home affairs committee says if the UK Government refuses, the powers to introduce drug consumption rooms should be devolved to Holyrood

A cross-party group of MPs say Scotland should pilot the use of safe drug consumption rooms.

The Scottish Government has been pressing for drug consumption facilities to be set up, but so far this has been blocked by Westminster.

Now Westminster’s home affairs committee has recommended a pilot in Glasgow is supported by Westminster and jointly funded by both governments - and say if the UK Government refuses, the powers to do this should be devolved to Holyrood.

These rooms would provide a safe space for drug users to go and take their substances under medical supervision.

This comes after new figures show there were 1,051 drug deaths in Scotland last year - although this is a drop of 279 from the previous year, this still makes Scotland the drug death capital of Europe.

However the UK Government has responded to this recommendation and insisted “there is no safe way to take illegal drugs” and has “no plans to consider” safe consumption rooms.

Peter Krykant ran an unsanctioned drug consumption room out of a converted ambulance in Glasgow city centre.

Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland, he said: “This is not the first time a recommendation has been made to the UK Government.

“Multiple organisations across the UK have been recommending these facilities for years now, so I am delighted with these recommendations, but are we going to see the actions and changes we need?”

He said those who would come to his drug consumption van were often homeless or using drugs in unsterile conditions, which he said is putting a strain on the NHS as this leads to an increase in soft skin tissue infections, HIV and hepatitis C.

Mr Krykant is currently in Copenhagen to mark international overdose awareness day, and said since the city introduced drug consumption rooms there has been an 80 per cent drop in discarded drug equipment.

Last year Denmark saw only 250 drug deaths, despite having a similar population size to Scotland.

Mr Krykant added: “The challenge now goes back to the Scottish Government if the UK Government is continuously saying there are no plans to do it.

“I think the UK Government’s rhetoric in the lead up to next year’s general election is to be tough and name and shame drug users.

“Nothing will change, so it is up to the Scottish Government to be brave enough to go ahead with these sites.

“The numbers of people dying in Scotland and the rest of the UK is ridiculous, we are looking at 17 people dying every day from preventable drug-related deaths.

“Something needs to give - something needs to change.”

As well as a drug consumption room pilot, the Westminster committee recommended reforming the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to give public health a greater role in the nationwide response to drugs, while focusing law enforcement on the illicit production and supply of illegal drugs.

The group of MPs also said there should be drug checking services at events like music festivals.

Dame Diana Johnson, the committee’s chairwoman, said: “The criminal justice system will need to continue to do all it can to break up the criminal gangs that drive the trade in illicit drugs.

“However, it must also recognise that many children and young people involved need to be supported to escape, not punished for their involvement.

“Fundamentally, we need to have the right interventions in place to help people break free from the terrible cycles of addiction and criminality that drug addiction can cause.

“Simply attempting to remove drugs from people’s lives hasn’t worked.

“They need the right support to let them deal with addiction, but also psychosocial support and interventions that deal with the underlying trauma that may have led them to drugs in the first place.

“Over the course of the inquiry, we have seen a number of positive, locally-developed schemes make a real difference to those suffering from addiction and the wider communities.

“The government should learn from the success as it develops best practice that can be implemented nationwide.”

However the UK Government has already shut down the possibility of action on the back of this recommendation.

A spokesperson for the UK Home Office said: “There is no safe way to take illegal drugs, which devastate lives, ruin families and damage communities, and we have no plans to consider this.

“Our 10-year drugs strategy set out ambitious plans, backed with a record £3 billion funding over three years to tackle the supply of illicit drugs through relentless policing action and building a world-class system of treatment and recovery to turn people’s lives around and prevent crime.”

In response Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, said: “Safe consumption rooms are not a silver bullet when it comes to drug deaths in Scotland, but they do have a part to play in a joined up approach from every level of government to combat drug-related deaths and - as this committee has agreed - could save lives.

“We mustn’t see more lives needlessly lost.

“This report is an important recognition that swift change is needed, but it must be followed with action from the UK Government.

“Sadly, as we’ve seen far too many times, the Tories are far more interested in playing political games than they are in saving lives, proving that to implement real change that will reduce drug deaths and benefit communities we need the full powers of independence.”