EXCLUSIVE: Glasgow have made a historic step by introducing the UK’s first drug consumption room where those struggling with addiction can safely administer drugs and access support – here’s one business owner’s thoughts
Glasgow is the first place in the UK to open a drug consumption facility (Image: PA)
Glasgow will go down in history books for becoming home to the UK’s first drug consumption room – but what do the locals think?
In a move by the Scottish government to help those struggling with addiction to access support, a safe environment and clean needles, they hope that the facility – named The Thistle – will tackle the ongoing drug-related death epidemic.
Being the first of its kind in the UK, the scheme will be awarded up to £2.3m a year after worrying data from National Records of Scotland revealed the exponential rise of deaths caused by drug misuse. Tragically, 1,172 people died due to drug misuse in 2023, which is a rise of 12% from 2022. Other concerns around drug use refer to bloodborne illnesses like HIV, often passed on by using, or sharing, dirty needles.
While the Scottish government note that the drug consumption room is not a “silver bullet” to eradicate substance related death and harm, First Minister John Swinney said The Thistle will act as a “significant step forward.”
The Thistle’s aim is to help prevent drug-related deaths and harms, while providing addicts with access to support (Image: PA)
Though not just a step forward for those struggling with the tight grasp of addiction, but the public who are subjected to watch on at the brutal reality of drug use on the streets.
In a previous report by the NHS, there was thought to be an estimated “400 to 500 people injecting drugs in public places in Glasgow city centre on a regular basis.”
And one Glaswegian business owner, Amy Henderson, is thrilled at the news of the drug consumption room – despite some controversies around it.
The brains and beauty behind salon, Miss Amy’s, admitted that seeing addicts on the streets of Glasgow is “normal” with drug baggys and foil from makeshift crack pipes are just part and parcel of the city’s life.
Beauty business owner Amy Henderson deals with different types of injections (Image: Amy Henderson)
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star, Amy told us: “I think this is a great idea. It keeps addicts off the streets, it keeps the streets cleaner – no needles, foils, drug bags lying around.
“It prevents kids and people being disturbed by seeing them like this and it also will stop people hanging around public places, parks for example.
“I feel like it will prevent deaths and people being found on the street due to the likes of using dirty equipment. “
Glamorous Glaswegian Amy runs her beauty business on the West End of Glasgow, the opposite side to where The Thistle has been introduced.
Yet, drug abuse is rampant across the whole city. Recent figures show that Scotland has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe, with Glasgow being at the crux of that.
Glasgow’s streets have been notoriously known to be lined with needles and baggys (Image: Getty Images)
The Thistle, branded as a safer drug consumption facility (SDCF), is located at the Hunter Street Health Centre and is accessible 365 days a year, 9am to 9pm.
It has eight individual injection booths, a recovery area, private chatrooms, lounge with books, access to hot drinks, shower room, a clothing bank and an outdoor smoking shelter.
The facility also has two health rooms where a range of treatments will be accessible, like BBV testing. Support workers from organisations will also be available onsite.
Business owner Amy hopes that this will put an end to the “highly disturbing” reality of addicts on the street, disturbing for both users and the public.
She also hopes this will be a step in the right direction of humanising those in the community who have succumbed to addiction, instead of writing them off like many do.
The Glaswegian business owner hopes it will make the streets safer for everyone (Image: Amy Henderson)
Amy continued: “Seeing addicts on the streets of Glasgow is normal, however it can still be highly disturbing.
“As a local I feel that those struggling with drugs really need somewhere they can go, somewhere they can meet other people like themselves – somewhere safe.
“A lot of these people on the streets get attacked physically and verbally by passers by because of their lifestyle.
“When in the reality of it, they are still human and not all of them are horrible people, you get horrible people who are sober too. No matter your lifestyle, people are always going to judge.
“So I feel people with drug problems will 100% be safer and it will keep our streets safer with somewhere like this to go.”
While The Thistle is the first of its kind in the UK, other countries have also introduced similar facilities to tackle their own drug-use problems.
Across the globe there are currently more than 100 drug consumption sites where those struggling with addiction can inject using clean needles, and in most cases, access support.
The Thistle has been branded a “significant step forward” in cutting drug-related deaths by the Scottish government (Image: PA)
Portugal proved to be in leader in this where they went one step further by decriminalising drug possession, along with opening up government-funded drug consumption rooms.
The European country brought in the decriminalisation of drug possession in 2001 and have since seen peaks and troughs with the success of the reform.
Portugal did see a sharp decrease in new HIV infections and drug-related deaths within the first year of implementing these new measures. Though, the second decade has been slower in results and even seeing a slight increase of drug-related deaths.
Regardless of the wider issues that could have impacted this, Portugal’s reported drug use and drug-related deaths are well below the European average – with Scotland at the top of that list.
During a tour of The Thistle facility, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said: “While this facility is not a silver bullet, it is another significant step forward and will complement other efforts to reduce harms and deaths.
“Those with lived experience have been involved in the designing of the service and had input on staff recruitment.
“Indeed, people with lived experience, who know what it’s like to see people injecting drugs in unsafe conditions, have joined the workforce at the facility.”
Will the pilot Glasgow project work to put a stop to drug related deaths and misuse? And could Scotland even follow in Portugal’s steps and decriminalisation of possession? Only time will tell.
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Talk To Frank for free, confidential advice on 0300 1236600, texting 82111 or visiting their website.