Millions of pounds of funding for drug consumption rooms should be diverted to an expansion in the number of rehab and recovery places, according to the Scottish Conservatives.
The party’s leader Russell Findlay will today (MON) launch a new policy paper which urges the SNP Government to change their approach in responding to the drug deaths crisis.
It urges ministers to stop ‘doubling down’ on proposals for more drug consumption rooms in favour of providing a genuine right to recovery for those battling addiction.
It claims that the Thistle centre in Glasgow has ‘monumentally failed’ and any proposals to launch further similar facilities must be stopped in their tracks.
It came as Police Scotland confirmed officers were carrying out enquiries following the death of a man outside Glasgow’s drug consumption room.
Scottish Conservative drug and alcohol spokesman Annie Wells, who will launch the paper alongside Mr Findlay at a community pharmacy in Glasgow, said: ‘Scotland’s appalling level of drug deaths is our national shame under the SNP. Yet nationalist ministers still believe they know best how to tackle this crisis – despite having failed miserably over the last two decades.
The Thistle ‘drug consumption rooms’ in Glasgow allows addicts to inject under medical supervision
‘Their latest approach is to double down on state-sponsored drug-taking facilities, like The Thistle in Glasgow, and roll out more of them across the country.
‘The Thistle has monumentally failed to reduce our drug-death rate, which is the worst in Europe, and we believe it should be shut down.
‘The millions being wasted on this drug consumption room would be far better spent on rehab and recovery places for those struggling with addiction – but we know the nationalists do not want to do this.
‘SNP and Green MSPs shamefully rejected our Right to Recovery Bill last year and played politics with people’s lives.
‘Following May’s election, we will bring that bill back in the hope that common sense will prevail. Our bold new policy paper will give proper support to those who need it most and will ditch the SNP’s agenda that has failed the most vulnerable for too long.’
The Thistle facility opened in January last year to allow addicts to inject under medical supervision and costs £2.3 million a year.
Figures show 575 people used it in the first 12 month – meaning a cost of £4,000 per user.
Health Secretary Neil Gray has encouraged other areas to come forward with any proposals for similar facilities, and said they do not need to wait until the end of the Glasgow pilot to do so.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon was forced to admit that she shamefully took her eye off the ball in tackling Scotland’s rising drug-death rate and it remains one of the most abject failures of her time as First Minister.
‘The SNP’s reckless policy decisions have allowed Scotland’s streets to be flooded with drugs and over 1,000 Scots are losing their lives every year as a result.
First Minister John Swinney and Health Secretary Neil Gray along with Dr Saket Priyadarshi of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde during a visit to the drugs consumption room
‘This disgraceful situation doesn’t have to continue. But if we are ever to tackle our drugs deaths emergency, we must stop an SNP majority at May’s election. The best way for voters to do that is by using their peach ballot paper to vote for the Scottish Conservatives across Scotland.’
Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: ‘The Scottish Budget maintains record levels of funding for alcohol and drugs policy of more than £160 million in total and we are widening access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and life-saving naloxone.
‘We also opened the UK’s first Safer Drug Consumption Facility and are working with partners to get drug-checking services up and running as soon as possible.
‘This facility has had a profound impact in its first year. Quick staff response in the event of an overdose has undoubtedly saved lives.
‘Following wide engagement, the Scottish Government developed a suite of non-legislative measures that go further than the Right to Recovery Bill in improving access and quality.’
It came as officers responded yesterday (SUN) morning following reports of the death of a man on Hunter Street, where the facility is located.
Glasgow City Council confirmed that it is assisting police with their enquiries.
According to reports, several police vehicles and an ambulance attended.
At the facility, which opened last year, users are able to legally inject drugs under medical supervision. It is overseen by Glasgow City Integration Joint Board – a partnership between the city council and Glasgow’s health board.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘Around 10.20am on Sunday, 8 March, 2026, we received a report of a death of a man outdoors in the Hunter Street area of Glasgow.
‘Enquiries are ongoing however there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.’
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: ‘We are assisting police with their enquires and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.’
