Glasgow's First Drug Consumption Room Faces Opening Delays Over Water Safety Tests

The UK’s inaugural supervised drug use facility, intended to address Scotland's high drug death rate, is now expected to open by late 2024 or early 2025 due to regulatory hurdles.

• The facility, located in Glasgow's east end, was initially set to open on October 21, 2024, but failed to pass a required three-stage water safety testing process.
• The Safer Drugs Consumption Facility will allow users to consume illegal substances like heroin and cocaine under medical supervision, aiming to reduce drug-related deaths.
• Scotland has the highest drug death rate in Europe, with fatalities nearly triple the next worst country and significantly higher than other parts of the UK.
• All staff have been hired, and the building is ready, but Glasgow City Council insists on completing all safety checks to avoid future closures or risks to users.
• Discussions with the Lord Advocate's office have ensured that drug users will not face prosecution for possession while using the facility.

3 Articles

The Telegraph BBC Evening Standard