Rutherglen’s MP has called for “bold” action to be taken in a bid to combat drug use in the area.
Ged Killen has stated that drug consumption rooms should be opened in Scotland, letting addicts use substances in safer conditions.
And the Labour MP has called for the Scottish Government to push ahead with the rooms, even if the Westminister Government refuses to budge on the matter.
Last week the Reformer reported that 58 people died in South Lanarkshire last year after taking drugs – the highest number since records began – 52 of the 58 deaths were by accident.
Writing in our sister paper, the Daily Record , Mr Killen stated: “I want to see the UK Government taking radical action on decriminalisation or devolving the powers necessary to do so.
“But we know the Tories are led by ideology and not the wealth of evidence that is available, which is why the Scottish Government must be prepared to take bold steps to tackle this emergency .”
Mr Killen pointed to the success of Durham, where local police have argued in favour of the treatment rooms.
He said: “Police are successfully diverting those found in possession of class A drugs into treatment services to avoid arrest.
“This is decriminalisation in all but name and means that more vital resources can be directed towards a public health approach instead of being wasted in a futile and damaging attempt to imprison and criminalise people who have a health issue.”
However, Sajid Javid MP, the then Home Secretary was recently quizzed about the prospect of opening DCR’s.
He said: “If we were to have these rooms it would mean that you would have some designated for people to consume illegal drugs.
“I will want to look at reports but I have no intention of changing current policy.”
