Needle rooms plea to halt drug death crisis
MSP calls for immunity guarantee for health staff
Labour’s shadow health secretary has written to Scotland’s most senior prosecutor demanding he give the green light to drug consumption rooms.
Monica Lennon has asked Lord Advocate James Wolffe to grant immunity from criminal charges to anyone using or working in new facilities.
The Scottish Government has previously called for drug laws to be devolved and Holyrood has backed the creation of safe spaces for addicts to inject heroin.
But after the UK Government rejected changes to the law, Wolffe has been under pressure to g ive his suppor t to consumption rooms within existing legislation.
While he is adamant it is not within his power, campaigners argue he could simply issue guidance that drug users and workers will not be prosecuted.
The calls come in the face of a drug death epidemic that has seen fatalities soar to 1187 last year. The figure is the highest since records began in 1996.
Lennon’s letter to Wolffe states: “The tragic loss of 1187 lives in 2018 represents an alltime high in Scotland and we now have the highest drugrelated death rate in Europe and possibly the world. This simply cannot continue. More deaths can be prevented if people have access to the right services and support and I am writing to ask that you use your extensive powers to do everything you can to support this.
“The real focus of my letter is to ask you to confirm that you would be wi l l ing to grant immunity from prosecution to healthcare professionals and others working to support drug users and people in recovery.”
She added that Drug Consumption Rooms had the potential to save lives.
The Crown Office said: “The Lord Advocate is committed to reducing harm arising from illegal drugs but has made it clear that the introduction of such a facility would require legislative change to establish a legal regime for its operation through a democratical ly accountable process.”