Peter Krykant dies suddenly as tributes paid to pioneering Scots drugs reformer
Krykant, who battled addiction issues, was found dead at home in Falkirk. He inspired many to regard addiction as a health issue and paved the way for state-backed safe drug consumption areas
Tributes have been paid to drugs policy reformer Peter Krykant after his sudden death.
The campaigner, who battled addiction himself, became a public figure after setting up an unofficial drugs consumption room in a converted ambulance.
He famously operated from the van in Glasgow city centre in 2020 and 2021 in a bid to tackle the city's rampant addiction crisis.
Police Scotland have said that no suspicious circumstances surround the death at his home in Larbert, Falkirk, on Monday this week.
Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, who had helped man the mobile service, which was regarded as illegal at the time, said 48-year-old Krykant's efforts had helped make significant changes to Scotland's drugs policy.
Sweeney said: 'I'm shocked and saddened to hear of Peter's death.
'We can't underestimate the contribution he made to the drugs debate in Scotland, which came amid many years of increasing overdose deaths.
'He undoubtedly played a major part in changing policy in a political a system that was very much set in its ways and resistant to the kind of radical change that Peter advocated.
'The overdose prevention facility in Glasgow, which is now operating successfully, came after many minds were turned by Peter's efforts.'
Sweeney said Krykant's efforts to force the opening of legal drug consumption areas in Scotland brought international recognition.
He said: 'I worked alongside Peter on the van, which itself came to be an iconic sign of the changes that were occurring in attitudes in Scotland and the UK as a whole.
'Peter also travelled the world to tell others about his methods to disrupt and bring change.
'He will be very sadly missed.'
Krykant launched his drugs bus after the Daily Record ran a powerful campaign to liberalise drugs laws, which highlighted Scotland's status as the drug deaths capital of Europe.
In 2021 he met then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is to hold talks on the opening of an official Drug Consumption Room site.
After running his van in Glasgow's city centre for several months, Krykant donated the facility to the Transform Drug Policy Foundation and its Anyone's Child campaign, which took it on a UK tour.
He later took on roles with Cranstoun UK, a drug service provider.
It became public knowledge that Krykant suffered from ongoing personal trauma related to drug taking and suffered relapses in recent years.
He had been visiting London in the days before his death but had returned to his flat in Larbert when friends became concerned about his wellbeing.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 5.15pm on Monday, 9 June 2025, police attended an address in Graham Avenue, Larbert following a report of a concern for person.
'The body of a 48-year-old man was found within.
'His next of kin has been informed. A post mortem examination will be carried out in due course. The death is being treated as unexplained.'
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