New opening date for drug consumption room confirmed

The opening date for the first safer drug consumption room in the UK has been confirmed.

Health bosses hope the Glasgow facility, named The Thistle, will save lives by preventing overdose and help more people into recovery.

Users of the city site, who will be overseen by clinical staff, will not face prosecution for the use of illegal drugs.

Its development follows years of campaigning from local political and health leaders.

Now Glasgow City Council has confirmed that The Thistle will open on Monday 13 January, operating from 9am-9pm every day of the year.

The Thistle had been scheduled to open in October, but was delayed by checks on the building.

Councillor Allan Casey, local convener for workforce, homelessness and addiction services, announced the opening date, which follows the completion of the tests. 

He said: "We are obviously delighted that the required tests have now concluded and the facility can open on Monday 13 January. We have been pushing for a safer drug consumption facility for some time. It's a welcome relief to know we can finally have people in to access the service and support available within The Thistle.

"We know from all the other safer drug consumption rooms in operation across the world that they do make a difference."

Similar facilities already operate in countries including Denmark, Canada and Portugal.

Drug regulation is a reserved area and the development of the Glasgow site comes after Scotland's Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain said it "would not be in the public interest to prosecute" the centre's users for possession of controlled drugs. 

The Scottish Government has called the level of drug-related deaths "hugely concerning". 

As many as 1,172 such deaths were recorded in 2023 in what was a 12 per cent year-on-year increase.

Most of the deaths were related to opiates.