Scotland's Approval Of Pilot 'Safer' Drug Consumption Site, Overdose Prevention Debate In UK

Scottish Lord Advocate, the country's top attorney, replied to a request from the Parliament’s cross-committee on tackling drug deaths and drug harm for an update on her consideration of a prosecution policy for a pilot safer drug consumption facility in Glasgow.

In her statement, the Right Honourable Dorothy Bain KC (Independent party) said she "would be prepared to publish” a prosecution policy by which “it would not be in the public interest to prosecute drug users for simple possession offenses” committed within the center, located in an area “where public injecting is already a significant issue.”

Glasgow’s pilot center, along with other co-located services, all together would offer medical support and assistance to drug users. 

“I have not been asked to sign off or approve any facility and it would not be appropriate for me to do so. However, prosecution policy is for me alone to set and this policy, and the consequences which flow from it, have been considered deeply and thoroughly,” she said.

The new policy would allow for the first legal U.K. overdose prevention center to be established with people consuming controlled substances on-site, by applying a legal “diversion scheme.” 

Although the statement does not represent legalization or decriminalization of drugs, it would be “a public instruction to prosecutors of the way in which the public interest considerations relevant to a prosecutorial decision would fall to be applied in a particular context,” non-extendable to “any other criminal offenses.” 

Scottish Police will retain operational independence toward “effectively” policing the facility and ensuring the wider community, those operating the site and those using the facility “can be kept safe.”

Advocates say that the center will help save lives as “a doorway to support for many more,” and result in "fewer people injecting on the streets.” 

Next up, the proposals for the new pilot scheme will go before the city’s integrated joint board of council and health officials on Sept. 27. 

Scotland’s drugs minister Elena Whitham told MSPs that “it is expected to be approved,” after which it would be put out to public consultation, The Guardian reported.

History And First Minister Yousaf’s View 

In 2017, Prior Lord Advocate Walter James Wolffe QC had refused to support a similar proposal that included possession of street-bought heroin within the facility, considering it “a health rather than justice” matter, per the BBC. 

First Minister Humza Yousaf’s government backs the proposal, created by the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) jointly with the Police Scotland. 

Following Lord Advocate’s statement, Yousaf reinforced the “urgency” for the pilot drugs consumption room in Scotland’s largest city, reported The Independent.

Nonetheless and although calls for such a site are mounting, they have so far found rejection by U.K.’s Home Office. Scotland’s government says that without such support, a drug consumption facility would be “limited” to tackle the rising drug-related death rate, and eventually calls for the UK Government to return the power so the country can itself approve it.

On the other hand, MPs on Westminster’s Home Affairs Committee expressed support for the establishment of Glasgow’s consumption room, which would allow those struggling with addiction to be medically supervised while taking drugs and be aided in the event of an overdose.

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