First drug consumption room should not be seen as ‘silver bullet’, says MP

The UK’s first safer drugs consumption room should not be seen as a “silver bullet” to tackle Scotland’s drug deaths, the chairwoman of a Westminster committee has said.

MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee said funding for The Thistle in Glasgow should not come at the expense of other efforts to reduce drug harm.

In a report published on Tuesday, they said the UK Government should not make up its mind on the future of the Thistle before an expert evaluation takes place on the three-year pilot scheme.

The Thistle which officially opened in January, is a space where drug users can take illegal substances such as heroin and cocaine under medical supervision in a hygienic environment.

It is designed to reduce public drug use and help tackle Scotland’s drug deaths rate, which is the worst in Europe.

However the committee’s report notes that it is not anticipated to have an impact on the national or city-wide drug death rates, though it is “likely” to reduce them locally.

The report said concerns from nearby residents must be “taken seriously” and a “responsive communication strategy” must be put in place as soon as possible.

It also said the introduction of a room for inhaling drugs, as opposed to injecting them, should be considered for The Thistle.

The MPs noted the Thistle is “expensive” and any future facilities could be less sophisticated in order to save money.

Patricia Ferguson, chairwoman of the Scottish Affairs Committee, said: “Scotland has the highest rate of drug-related deaths in Europe.

“Without a doubt, this is the most pressing public health issue facing the nation and things need to change urgently to stop more people dying.

“The Thistle could be one way of helping Scotland do this.

“If the facility, after its three-year pilot, is shown to be effective at tackling drug-related harm, we’re urging the UK Government to follow the evidence, and take the legislative action needed to create a proper legal framework that will ensure it can run and be regulated properly.”

She continued: “However, we also recognise that The Thistle is not a silver bullet.

“Our report emphasises that this pilot shouldn’t come at the cost of other recovery services – rather, they should operate in tandem to offer as much help as possible to people with problem drug use.”

The report also urged the Home Office to urgently complete its assessment of The Thistle for a drug checking licence – which would allow visitors to have drugs chemically analysed.

Holyrood drugs policy minister Maree Todd said: “Drug deaths in Scotland are down 13% and at the lowest level since 2017. The Scottish Government’s national mission to tackle drug harms means we have already spearheaded evidence-based harm reduction.

“Since opening, the Thistle has been recognised by the Global Commission on Drug Policy and has responded to a number of on-site overdose incidents – I have no doubt that lives have been saved.

“Evidence from similar facilities around the world has found that safer drug consumption rooms can reduce harms, levels of public drug consumption and publicly-discarded drug-related litter.

“The UK overall is a clear outlier in Europe for drugs deaths and in Scotland we are already working hard together with organisations to tackle the challenge head-on, for example through creating more residential rehabilitation beds and widening access to naloxone.

“However, the challenges we face will require clear four-nation approaches, particularly given many areas of drugs policy remain reserved to the UK Government.”