“It is still illegal to have safe consumption sites, which puts us out of sync with most Western countries,” said Mr. McAuley, whose research group will evaluate the Glasgow program . “Glasgow is arguably the most compelling case for a drug consumption site. “Safe drug-consumption facilities are proven to reduce the number of drug-related deaths and can act as a gateway to further treatment,” said Pete Wishart, the committee’s chairman. “Every drug death is preventable, and these centers could play a vital role in addressing Scotland’s drug crisis.”Scotland’s drug problem has worsened in recent years, and official statistics indicate that drug-related deaths there are at a record high. Fatal drug overdoses have been highest among older users.

Source: New York Times November 27, 2019 17:48 UTC