Glasgow's First Consumption Room: A Step Toward Harm Reduction

Addiction Economy Thought for Today - this is a great step forward in illegal drug treatment, the first consumption room in Glasgow.

"... this potentially transformative moment in UK drugs policy takes place with Scotland’s drug deaths still the worst per capita in Europe, the equivalent of three Scots dying every day. It emerged last week that more than 1,500 drug-addicted babies had been born in recent years, adding to widespread anger at the Scottish government’s continuing failure to arrest this trend, with underfunding of residential rehabilitation and wraparound care to support people getting into medically assisted treatment."

One of the important aspects, according to our reading, tho illegal drugs not in our remit, is that people attending are treated with respect and dignity and not overtly pushed into treatment plans at the same time, or they don't come. Those funding these might expect this to be an important component, but it should not be as it can be counter productive, though empathetic people will be available if people want it. Simon Bratt will know so much more, interested in your view Simon.

"It is “very important” that the facility is not regarded as a silver bullet for the drug death crisis that continues to grip the city and the country, said Dr Saket Priyadarshi, the associate medical director of Glasgow alcohol and drug recovery services. “It’s another part of a system of care, another piece of the jigsaw responding to a very complex problem.”

'Harm reduction' (the label for this) mirroring illegal drugs has understandably been adopted for cigs. This is part of the reason why pharma, inc vapes and other 'treatments' have become so central - learning from naxalone to counter overdoses and other pharma treatments which make drugs, including alcohol, ineffective do work. But as this article says, what happens with legal 'drugs' like cigs, vapes, alcohol and now food, is that the focus on pharma and replacement therapies means that effective psychological therapies become underfunded and cessation becomes a more distant goal. Very tricky.

The conversation about legalising drugs must also consider the fate of legal drugs like nicotine and prescription opioids, there is a big difference between 'decriminalisation' of users and mass availability which sometimes gets lost in online discussions.

Good luck to them anyway. We are fully supportive of this, which is a step towards taking away the stigma and shame of addiction which keeps people stuck and can open up other options which are not normally available.