Reader poll: Should safe drug consumption rooms be introduced in Scotland?

Should safe drug consumption rooms be introduced in Scotland?
  • Yes
  • No

0 voters

1 Like

Safe consumption rooms are a distraction, I’m not against them but the argument have been used to deflect criticism of the Scottish Government’s specific responsibility for the problem.

We don’t have 1,000+ drugs related death a year for lack of safe consumption rooms, we have them for the lack of a properly funded and effect drug and mental health services. And this report demonstrates that pretty clearly.

3 Likes

True, but it’s also important to compare like with like, although comparison is given in the article, it’s commonly used in comparison with results published in England: in England there are far tighter restrictions used in recording death by drug misuse, and consequently far lower results.

On the whole, I’m entirely in agreement: with the correct social, and mental health support systems, and structures in place, these would be nothing but an overal benefit to an impoverished society… Are there the government willpower, and resources freely available? Certainly doesn’t appear to be in Westminster!

5 Likes

Sorry, the Ferret investigated this story about any differences, between Scotland and England, when it comes how drug related deaths are recorded.
Other than a small area where the difference related to about 3 deaths per year, they concluded that this story was false.

1 Like

Hi all, thanks for your comments.

Here is our fact check from 2020 about how drug deaths are calculated in Scotland compared to the UK. Denis is correct that the differences in methodology do not account for many deaths being counted in Scotland that would not in the UK.