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STV News
2 days ago
- Health
- STV News
Government 'won't change law' to introduce more drug consumption rooms
The UK Government has said it won't change the law to make it easier to set up safe drug consumption rooms like the one that opened in Glasgow earlier this year – even if it's a success. The Thistle facility in Glasgow is the first facility of its kind in the UK, aimed at bringing down Scotland's high number of drug deaths. It opened at the start of the year, and Scottish health secretary Neil Gray said initial evidence 'suggests the facility is proving successful'. The facility has been used more than 2,500 times since opening five and a half months ago. Gray told Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee that the Scottish Ambulance Service has been called to the Hunter Street location seven times since January. He also said there have been 35 'medical emergencies' at the facility since it opened. Had those emergencies happened away from the facility, Gray said he believed the people involved in those medical emergencies would not have survived. However, despite what Gray sees as the Thistle's evidence of early success, UK Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson said the law will not be changed to make it easier for other facilities like it to be opened. The Thistle facility was launched in Scotland following a decision by the Crown Office not to prosecute drug users, but there's uncertainty over its long-term legal status. The three-year pilot is only possible because the Lord Advocate has said prosecuting drug users who visit the site to inject isn't in the public interest. But under Westminster legislation, the facility still officially operates outside the law. On Wednesday, Scottish MPs were told that isn't going to change, despite reminding Johnson that it wasn't always what she believed. Asked if the Government could rethink that stance if the Thistle proves to be a success in driving down Scotland's high drug death rates, the minister said: 'We look at evidence, we have experts, we have the ACMD (advisory council on the misuse of drugs) who offer advice, we look at evidence all the time. 'But I just really want to be clear with you, we do not support drug consumption facilities, it's not our policy and we will not be amending the Misuse of Drugs Act.' Gray emphasised that he believes the Thistle is already saving lives, and the law should change, so other parts of the country can benefit. The Scottish Affairs Committee will publish its report on the Thistle later this year. MPs were promised that UK ministers will consider it carefully. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow's drug consumption room works says health secretary
Neil Gray was giving evidence to the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee inquiry into the Thistle Centre. He said it was saving lives and is not the reason for discarded needles and drug-taking equipment in the surrounding area. READ NEXT: Glasgow's drug consumption room to come under scrutiny at Westminster next week (Image: PA) The centre, which opened in January, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks with some nearby residents complaining there has been an increase in dumped needles on streets, gardens and waste ground. Gray defended the facility, stating it has already kept people alive. He said: 'Initial evidence suggests that the facility is proving to be successful. 'It has had seven ambulance call-outs and 35 medical emergencies. In all cases, the service user survived to return. 'Were these service users not within the Thistle, they would not have survived. 'Early evidence is that it is working. I want to see them alive to get onto a recovery journey. Clearly, you can't get into recovery if you're dead.' READ NEXT: Big rise in people taken to hospital in Glasgow for cocaine use The centre in Hunter Street in the East End is almost six months into a three-year pilot aimed at tackling drug deaths through overdose and blood-borne infection rates in the city. Gray said: 'It's better that this facility is embedded within the community and has good community outreach. 'It is necessary for a level of trust among those using the facility and those neighbouring it has no exclusion zone, that is the right approach and I support it. Gray was asked by Elaine Stewart, MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, about a reported increase in drug paraphernalia, including discarded needles, since the centre opened. Gray said the Thistle is located in the Calton area because of the historic levels of public injecting over a period of years. He said: 'It has not arrived alongside the Thistle. The policy intention is to see people injecting inside the Thistle, not in the community. 'It's for the local authority, local ADP and the facility to engage with the community and make sure that where there is discarded paraphernalia, it is cleaned up. 'It has not arrived with the facility. It is why it is there.' READ NEXT:'Devastating': drug deaths show a huge rise over the last year Diana Johnson, UK Minister for Drugs, told the committee the UK Government did not support drug consumption facilities and had no plans to change the law. She said: 'We are not going to be amending the Misuse of Drugs Act. We look at the evidence on harm reduction. 'We don't support drug consumption facilities. It is not our policy to be very clear.'
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
No changes to drug laws even if consumption room is a success, says minister
The Thistle Centre opened earlier this year after a decade-long wrangle between the UK and Scottish governments, with the latter seeking an exemption from the Misuse of Drugs Act to ensure users of the facility are not prosecuted. Eventually, Scotland's top law officer ruled it would not be 'in the public interest' to seek to prosecute users of the service, which allows people to inject drugs, paving the way for it to open. Appearing before the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster on Wednesday, Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson said the law will not be changed. Asked if the Government could rethink that stance if the Thistle proves to be a success in driving down Scotland's high drug death rates, the minister said: 'We look at evidence, we have experts, we have the ACMD (advisory council on the misuse of drugs) who offer advice, we look at evidence all the time. 'But I just really want to be clear with you, we do not support drug consumption facilities, it's not our policy and we will not be amending the Misuse of Drugs Act.' Liberal Democrat MP Angus MacDonald said his 'jaw just dropped open' at the minister's statement. 'If the Thistle turns out to be a great success within a year, I would be so excited about rolling that out everywhere,' he said. He added that it is 'the most wonderful way' of stopping people dying and can act as a pathway to rehabilitation. After the minister repeated the Government's stance, Mr MacDonald said: 'You're basically condemning thousands of people to death, in my opinion.' But Dame Diana rejected his assertion, saying: 'I don't accept that, with the greatest of respect. 'This is not the only thing that we can do to deal with drug misuse and I think the UK Government is very clear that there are a number of measures that can be used.' Labour MP Chris Murray also pointed out that it was Dame Diana who chaired the Home Affairs Select Committee which in 2023 released a report supporting a drug consumption room pilot. Picking up on that point, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn questioned what evidence she had to have changed her view. 'Mr Flynn, you're a very experienced member of this House and you know that when a Member of Parliament becomes a minister, their personal views are irrelevant because they are there to represent the views of the Government,' she said. 'The recommendation that was made in that Home Affairs Select Committee report in the previous parliament was based on a group of politicians, cross-party, including your own party, that sat down and reached those recommendations together. 'That is very different to a Government policy that I am setting out today.'
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
No changes to drug laws even if consumption room is a success, says minister
The Thistle Centre opened earlier this year after a decade-long wrangle between the UK and Scottish governments, with the latter seeking an exemption from the Misuse of Drugs Act to ensure users of the facility are not prosecuted. Eventually, Scotland's top law officer ruled it would not be 'in the public interest' to seek to prosecute users of the service, which allows people to inject drugs, paving the way for it to open. Dame Diana Johnson gave evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee on Wednesday (PA) Appearing before the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster on Wednesday, Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson said the law will not be changed. Asked if the Government could rethink that stance if the Thistle proves to be a success in driving down Scotland's high drug death rates, the minister said: 'We look at evidence, we have experts, we have the ACMD (advisory council on the misuse of drugs) who offer advice, we look at evidence all the time. 'But I just really want to be clear with you, we do not support drug consumption facilities, it's not our policy and we will not be amending the Misuse of Drugs Act.' Liberal Democrat MP Angus MacDonald said his 'jaw just dropped open' at the minister's statement. 'If the Thistle turns out to be a great success within a year, I would be so excited about rolling that out everywhere,' he said. He added that it is 'the most wonderful way' of stopping people dying and can act as a pathway to rehabilitation. After the minister repeated the Government's stance, Mr MacDonald said: 'You're basically condemning thousands of people to death, in my opinion.' But Dame Diana rejected his assertion, saying: 'I don't accept that, with the greatest of respect. The minister was challenged by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn (Lucy North/PA) 'This is not the only thing that we can do to deal with drug misuse and I think the UK Government is very clear that there are a number of measures that can be used.' Labour MP Chris Murray also pointed out that it was Dame Diana who chaired the Home Affairs Select Committee which in 2023 released a report supporting a drug consumption room pilot. Picking up on that point, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn questioned what evidence she had to have changed her view. 'Mr Flynn, you're a very experienced member of this House and you know that when a Member of Parliament becomes a minister, their personal views are irrelevant because they are there to represent the views of the Government,' she said. 'The recommendation that was made in that Home Affairs Select Committee report in the previous parliament was based on a group of politicians, cross-party, including your own party, that sat down and reached those recommendations together. 'That is very different to a Government policy that I am setting out today.'
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- General
- Powys County Times
No changes to drug laws even if consumption room is a success, says minister
The UK Government will not change drug laws to allow more safe consumption rooms, even if a Glasgow-based pilot is a success, a minister has said. The Thistle Centre opened earlier this year after a decade-long wrangle between the UK and Scottish governments, with the latter seeking an exemption from the Misuse of Drugs Act to ensure users of the facility are not prosecuted. Eventually, Scotland's top law officer ruled it would not be 'in the public interest' to seek to prosecute users of the service, which allows people to inject drugs, paving the way for it to open. Appearing before the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster on Wednesday, Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson said the law will not be changed. Asked if the Government could rethink that stance if the Thistle proves to be a success in driving down Scotland's high drug death rates, the minister said: 'We look at evidence, we have experts, we have the ACMD (advisory council on the misuse of drugs) who offer advice, we look at evidence all the time. 'But I just really want to be clear with you, we do not support drug consumption facilities, it's not our policy and we will not be amending the Misuse of Drugs Act.' Liberal Democrat MP Angus MacDonald said his 'jaw just dropped open' at the minister's statement. 'If the Thistle turns out to be a great success within a year, I would be so excited about rolling that out everywhere,' he said. He added that it is 'the most wonderful way' of stopping people dying and can act as a pathway to rehabilitation. After the minister repeated the Government's stance, Mr MacDonald said: 'You're basically condemning thousands of people to death, in my opinion.' But Dame Diana rejected his assertion, saying: 'I don't accept that, with the greatest of respect. 'This is not the only thing that we can do to deal with drug misuse and I think the UK Government is very clear that there are a number of measures that can be used.' Labour MP Chris Murray also pointed out that it was Dame Diana who chaired the Home Affairs Select Committee which in 2023 released a report supporting a drug consumption room pilot. Picking up on that point, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn questioned what evidence she had to have changed her view. 'Mr Flynn, you're a very experienced member of this House and you know that when a Member of Parliament becomes a minister, their personal views are irrelevant because they are there to represent the views of the Government,' she said. 'The recommendation that was made in that Home Affairs Select Committee report in the previous parliament was based on a group of politicians, cross-party, including your own party, that sat down and reached those recommendations together.
