First drug consumption room in Scotland should not be seen as ‘silver bullet’, says MP

Scotland’s first official safer drug consumption room should not be seen as a “silver bullet” to tackle the country’s drug deaths, MPs have warned.

The Scottish Affairs Committee has published a report on The Thistle – the UK’s first facility of its kind – which opened in Glasgow in January 2025 for a three-year pilot.

It concluded the facility, located in the east end of the city, must be judged on its merits and not come at the expense of other recovery services.

The report comes just days after figures confirmed Scotland continues to have the highest rate of drug-related deaths per head of population anywhere in Europe.

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Glasgow City, Dundee City and Inverclyde council areas had the highest rates of drug misuse deaths.

The committee said public injecting has been a particular problem in Glasgow, contributing to harms such as the spread of blood-borne viruses, including HIV. It also noted international evidence shows such facilities can reduce these harms and relieve pressure on health services.

The report said concerns from nearby residents must be “taken seriously” and a “responsive communication strategy” must be implemented as soon as possible.

It also said the introduction of a room for inhaling drugs, as opposed to injecting them, should be considered by the Lord Advocate.

The MPs noted the Thistle is “expensive” and any future facilities could be less sophisticated in order to save money.

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Users will be able to take illegal drugs under medical supervision at £2.3m facility planned for the city’s east end.

MPs stressed that funding for The Thistle must not come at the expense of existing recovery services, saying the pilot should be seen as one tool among many. The report also raises the possibility of exploring more cost-effective models, such as mobile units.

Patricia Ferguson, chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, said: “Scotland has the highest rate of drug-related deaths in Europe. Without a doubt, this is the most pressing public health issue facing the nation, and things need to change urgently to stop more people dying.

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“The Thistle could be one way of helping Scotland do this. If the facility, after its three-year pilot, is shown to be effective at tackling drug-related harm, we’re urging the UK Government to follow the evidence and take the legislative action needed to create a proper legal framework that will ensure it can run and be regulated properly.

“However, we also recognise that The Thistle is not a silver bullet. Our report emphasises that this pilot shouldn’t come at the cost of other recovery services – rather, they should operate in tandem to offer as much help as possible to people with problem drug use.”