Amber Rudd invited to Glasgow to discuss safe injecting rooms

Glasgow councillors have unanimously backed a motion inviting Home Secretary Amber Rudd to the city to see plans for safe injecting spaces for drug users.

The Lord Advocate has ruled plans by the council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to allow drug users to inject safely under supervision would need the UK Government to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Supporters claim such a facility would tackle the problems caused by what is thought to be over 13,000 problem drug users in Glasgow.

A similar facility is also planned in Dundee.

Responding to a request from Glasgow MP Alison Thewliss in February, Rudd refused to relax the appropriate drug laws.

A Home Office spokesman said: “There is no legal framework for the provision of drug consumption rooms in the UK and we have no plans to introduce them. The UK’s approach on drugs remains clear: we must prevent drug use in our communities and support people dependent on drugs through treatment and recovery.”

Today’s motion in Glasgow City Chambers by SNP councillor Mhairi Hunter was backed by Green, Labour and Conservative councillors, calling for a letter to go to Rudd “inviting her to visit Glasgow so that she can hear first-hand from those who support the proposal and from community members who are currently affected by chaotic drug use in and around the city centre.”

Hunter, who is the city convener for health and social care integration, told Holyrood she is hopeful the Home Secretary will agree to come.

“I understand it may be politically sensitive but Glasgow is far from the only city in the UK to experience this problem,” she said. “By agreeing to devolve the necessary powers the rest of the UK can benefit from the learning from Glasgow before deciding if this is an option that could be pursued elsewhere.”

Hunter said the fact there was cross-party support showed the issue was a public health rather than a party political one.

She said: “That support reflects the understanding that we need to do things differently given the scale of need in Glasgow.

“We are facing a public health emergency affecting a group of chaotic drug users with multiple and complex health needs who currently inject drugs in public spaces in and around the city centre.

“The clear advice from clinical and Social Work professionals is that a supervised drug consumption facility provides the best solution.

“SDCFs elsewhere - in 68 cities across the world - have been shown to reduce overdoses, blood borne infections like HIV and to reduce high risk public injecting and needle discard.”