On January 13, in the east of Glasgow, Scotland, the first center for the use of illegal drugs in Great Britain will open, called Thistle (thistle). In this facility, clients will be able to inject illegally acquired heroin or cocaine under medical supervision. It is reported BBC.
The goal of creating such a center is to reduce the number of overdoses, minimize harm from drug use and reduce the number of cases of their use in public places. The center is funded by the Scottish Government and visitors who possess drugs while at the facility will not be prosecuted. However, drugs will not be provided in the facility – customers must bring them with them.
Project manager Lynn Macdonald noted that it is currently difficult to predict the number of daily visitors. According to her, similar centers in other countries can serve up to 200 people per day, but the situation depends on many factors.
The idea of creating such institutions is not new. Safe drug use rooms first appeared in Switzerland in 1986, and have since spread to Denmark, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Canada and the United States.
Scotland has one of the highest overdose death rates in Europe. In 2023, the number of such deaths in England and Wales reached a record level, and in Scotland this figure was twice as high. Authorities hope the launch of Thistle will help reduce these tragic numbers.
However, the project received criticism. Some local residents fear that the center will contribute to the increase in drug trafficking in the area. Addiction charities also worry the decision could push people to self-destruct.
The British government noted that this will be the only such center in the country, and does not plan to interfere in the implementation of this project. Despite criticism, the initiative is perceived as an experiment that can become an important step in the fight against the consequences of drug addiction.
