Push to devolve legislation to create Glasgow drug consumption room

The UK government has been urged to devolve drugs legislation to Scotland so that a consumption room can be created in Glasgow.

Under existing legislation, such a facility would be illegal.

Drug consumption rooms (DC R S) are aimed at providing a safe environment for drug addicts to inject, with the aim of preventing drug-related deaths and reducing HIV infection rates, which can be spread through the sharing of dirty needles.

However, unless the UK’ s Misuse of Drugs Act is amended, addicts and staff working at a DCR could be arrested.

Four charities in Scotland set out the advantages of intro - ducing a DCR in a submission to Westminster’s health and social care committee, chaired by Dr Sarah Wollaston, which is carrying out an inquiry into drugs.

The submission said: “DCRS are cost-effective, reduce public injecting, do not increase injecting frequency, drug use or drug-related crime, and increase the uptake of social work and addiction services.

“The introduction of a DCR in Glasgow could potentially reach 400 -500 people that currently par take in public injecting–a particularly vulnerable population who face severe and multiple disadvantages and are dispro - portionately affected by health inequalities.”