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Scotland Urged to Expand Safe Drug Sites
6 Apr
Summary
- Safe drug consumption center in Glasgow saw over 11,000 visits in its first year.
- Medical professionals at the center treated 93 emergencies during the period.
- Charity head calls for more safe consumption facilities nationwide.
Kirsten Horsburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Drugs Forum, is urging Scotland to establish more legal drug consumption facilities, highlighting the critical role of the Thistle center in Glasgow. This pioneering facility, the first of its kind in the UK, opened in 2025 and has since recorded significant usage, with over 11,348 visits by 575 registered individuals in its initial year, during which 7,827 injections were administered. Medical staff also intervened in 93 emergencies.
Despite facing controversy and criticism regarding its impact on Scotland's drug death rate, the Thistle center provides more than just a supervised space for drug use. It offers essential support services like showers and clothing, aiming to treat users with dignity. Ms. Horsburgh advocates for a variety of models, including mobile and peer-led units, to be considered for nationwide implementation.
Eddie Clarke of Abbeycare, host of the podcast where Ms. Horsburgh spoke, underscored the importance of harm reduction and recovery services. While endorsing harm reduction interventions, Abbeycare maintains that abstinence-based recovery is the most robust approach to overcoming addiction.
