It is morally wrong not to open safer drug consumption room, says councillor
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It would be morally wrong not to open the UK’s first safer drug-consumption room in Glasgow, a councillor has said. Allan Casey, who convenes Glasgow City Council’s addiction services, welcomed the official opening of the facility on Monday. The Thistle Centre, in the city’s east end, 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 hopes those who attend the pilot facility can be encouraged to seek support to overcome their addiction. Mr Casey, who represents the bordering Dennistoun ward, said there was a clear demand for such a facility. He told the PA news agency: “The first important milestone is actually getting the doors open which is good news.
“It’s been a long journey, a 10-year journey for some folk to get us to this stage. So that’s the most important bit of news.”. He said safer consumption rooms were not “the start or the end” of the battle against addiction. But he described the opening as “one of the final pieces of the jigsaw” as he called for more facilities to be opened across Scotland.
“I think we need to expand safe consumption rooms further. “There can’t just be one. One is not going to address the problems that we face, not just in Glasgow but, in fact, across the country. “It’s the first step in the right direction towards a more humane service but we need to be able to expand this as much as possible, and we will demonstrate that that works within the confines of the UK.”.
