Addicts will be ‘condemned to death’ if facility is not opened
IF GLASGOW is not allowed to open a safe drug injecting facility it would be “condemning to death” addicts who desperately need help, councillors have heard.
Glasgow City Council united behind a bid to create the first safe drug injecting room in the UK in the City Centre.
The facility, which would allow addicts to bring drugs to the supervised facility, got the backing of all parties as the council voted to invite the Home Secretary to Glasgow to see the need for urgent action.
The council and health board wanted to set up a safer drug consumption facility in the City Centre to reduce the risk of i nfection among hundreds of addicts.
However it required the Lord Advocate to give immunity from prosecution for people taking drugs to the centre.
He refused and a change in the UK drugs law is required before the council can set up the facility legally.
Councillors agreed the injecting room was necessary and agreed it would save lives. Councillors across the chamber lined up to call for the changes needed to allow the council to open a drug injecting facility.
Norman MacLeod, SNP councillor, said: “This is a no brainer. This is going to save people’s lives. Were we not to be successful in getting the necessary changes needed to lawfully introduce this facility we would be virtually condemning to death a significant portion of those we otherwise would be helping.”
SNP councillor Mhairi Hunter proposed the motion calling on the council to invite the Home secretary to the city.
She said: “The need is stronger than ever. This is not a political issue, it is a public health issue.”
Labour councillor Archie Graham seconded the motion.
He said: “You only need to look along the road to see the extent of the problem. Let’s come together and try to do something to help these people.”
The Conservatives and Greens also supported the plan.
Kyle Thornton, Conservative councillor said it was a public health emergency.
He said the Tory councillors would do what they could to help persuade the Home Secretary to come to Glasgow.
For the Greens, councillor Kim Long said: “Drug related deaths were a persistent concern.
“We know those injecting in the City Centre are at particular risk.”