By Bill Heaney
Scottish Labour has warned that safe consumption rooms are “a drop in the ocean” in the fight against drugs deaths after analysis found an estimated 6,000 Scots have died since the Scottish Government declared a public health emergency in 2019.
Scotland’s first safe consumption room, which is opening in Glasgow on Monday after multiple delays, is designed to reduce overdoses and act as a springboard for drug users to get support to quit their addiction.
Scottish Labour has backed the pilot but Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie has warned that safe consumption rooms alone will not tackle Scotland’s drugs deaths crisis.
It is recognised that additional services for those who want to quit need to be located alongside the safe consumption room but this does not appear to be in place.
And there are serious concerns amongst people living close to it about an increase in the number of drug dealers and anti social behaviour in the area.
Since then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared drugs deaths to be a public health emergency in September 2019, there have been 4,892 drug-related deaths, and 1,152 suspected drugs deaths totalling 6,044 overall, according to Scottish Labour’s analysis of government figures.
Scottish Labour’s Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie, left, said: “While we welcome any attempt to reduce the number of drugs deaths in Glasgow, it’s clear that this pilot is a drop in the ocean when it comes to tackling a national public health emergency.
“Each of those 6,000 deaths since 2019 represents an individual tragedy and a family ripped apart on the SNP’s watch.
“The SNP must provide the support charities, local authorities and health workers need to provide a clear, accessible pathway out of addiction for those who are in the grip of substance abuse.
“A crisis on this scale requires a response of the same proportions — it’s up to the SNP to deliver it.”