Drug users will be able to inject heroin and take cocaine in the first ever facility of its kind in the UK, after figures showed Scotland continues to have the worst rate of drug deaths in Europe
Britain’s first ever legal ‘shooting gallery’ where heroin users can legally inject themselves has opened today.
The NHS Thistle Centre in Glasgow will provide a space where drug users can take illegal substances such as heroin and cocaine under medical supervision in a clean and hygienic environment. The Scottish Government said it hopes those who attend the pilot facility can be encouraged to seek support to overcome their addiction. Staff will also be able to assist anyone who suffers an overdose.
It comes after startling figures showed Scotland continues to have the worst rate of drug deaths in Europe, with the latest figures showing 1,172 people died from drug misuse in 2023 – a rise of 12% on the previous year. It amounts to 27.7 people per 100,000 of the population, almost three times higher than the next highest country, Ireland. With Glasgow one of the worst affected areas in Scotland, groups in the city have campaigned for years for a safe consumption facility to be established.
The centre was finally established after Scotland’s top prosecutor, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, made clear prosecuting users of such a facility for possession of drugs would not be in the public interest. From Monday, the centre – in Hunter Street in the east end – will be open to users from 9am to 9pm, 365 days a year. The centre will be supported with £2 million of Scottish Government cash each year.
Speaking during a tour of the facility last week First Minister John Swinney said: “I hope it will help us to reduce drugs deaths in Scotland and to help people to find a different route in their lives. We will evaluate the effectiveness of this particular intervention to determine what progress is achieved as a consequence of it, what impact it has had, and to learn the lessons from it.”
Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “I hope that this will be another tool in our box in reducing the harm and reducing the level of drug-related deaths that we see in Scotland, and that the pilot will be successful. Critically I want this to be a facility that is well used. I want there to be a confidence in the community about coming here.”
Organisers supporting drug users have welcomed the facility. Ronnie Hart, from Paisley, used substances for more than 30 years before going into residential rehabilitation, and is now a recovery worker with drug and alcohol charity WithYou. He said the service would “draw in people who would otherwise be using in lanes and car parks”, adding: “People who use drugs in a harmful way often have very chaotic lives. Even if they want to make a change, they do not know where to start. The Thistle will be a really important tool for reaching people in Glasgow who really do need support, and sharing advice on how to be as safe and healthy as possible. For me, that’s a no brainer.”
