Safer drug consumption rooms could spell trouble for the law if the idea works

There have been five prime ministers, two first ministers, endless debate and more than 7,000 Scottish drug deaths since the idea of a safer drugs consumption room was first considered in Glasgow.

Scotland has a stubborn addiction to hard drugs spanning generations.

Politicians of all colours have failed to properly get a grip of the emergency.

Deaths have spiralled in the past decade, leaving Glasgow with the shameful badge of being Europe’s drugs death epicentre.

This concept of allowing addicts to bring their own heroin to a taxpayer-funded facility and inject it while officials watch is a UK-first.

But it’s a regular feature in some other major European cities that have claimed high success rates in saving lives.

Glasgow has looked on with envy at other models as it battles a seemingly never-ending war on drugs.

It is estimated hundreds of users inject heroin in public places in Glasgow every week.

Experts claim the rooms can be used to persuade addicts to use health services and cut crime by moving users indoors to a safer, controlled environment.

Authorities in the city first floated a safer drug consumption room in 2016.

It failed to get off the ground as it was argued the Home Office refused to allow addicts to break the law to feed their habits.

The usual wrangle between Edinburgh and London continued for years – with Downing Street suggesting Scotland could, if it wanted, use its discretion to allow these injecting rooms to go ahead.

The biggest milestone was reached several weeks ago when Scotland’s most senior prosecutor issued a landmark decision that it would “not be in the public interest” to take those using such a facility to court.

The Lord Advocate’s ruling paves the way for Glasgow to go ahead with a 12-hour-a-day operation.

There will be a welcome area where addicts will “check in” before being invited into one of eight bays. The room is clinical and covered in mirrors, with a row of small medical bins.

A design of the building shows an “aftercare” area where people will relax after their hit in the company of housing and social workers.

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The idea is controversial and not cheap.

Up to £2.3m has been ring-fenced every year for pilots in several Scottish cities, depending on the “success” of Glasgow.

This is a political decision and comes amid a backdrop of services being slashed in other areas amid squeezed budgets.

The big test will be if deaths decrease and how this will operate alongside the work of law enforcement. It has never been done before on these shores.

The law is not being changed but senior police officers say they are taking a “supportive approach”.

However, if they insist they are still bound to uphold the law when they witness crimes – could this spell trouble?

The political stalemate on the issue may be over but there’s no doubt there will be further bumps in the road before this unit is fully up and running.

And even when it opens, don’t expect an end to the controversy.

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