The SNP is making a bid for Glasgow to adopt a policy backing the decriminalisation of drugs.

Allan Casey, the council convenor for addiction services, is urging the council to take the stance to allow more people to get the support they need.

He also said Glasgow will be ready to put in place a safer drug consumption room as soon as the go-ahead is given.

The Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain, is currently considering whether a position can be taken that allows a facility to operate within the current UK drug laws.

Casey said it is one of a number of interventions needed for Glasgow to tackle the drug death crisis in the city.

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The councillor welcomed the reduction in drug deaths last year but said for the city to go further it needs to provide more services which requires other authorities to take action first.

He said: “The Global Drug Commission challenged us to make radical changes to tackle the issues we face.

“It would be a huge step forward if Glasgow adopted this policy. The war on drugs has failed.”

He said if the UK government allows decriminalisation or devolves power to Holyrood then it would allow the city to implement ideas including drug testing and a safe consumption room.

He added: “We are waiting on the response on a safe consumption facility from the Lord Advocate.

“We are ready and waiting to open a safer drug consumption facility.”

Last year there were 196 drug deaths in Glasgow, which, while it was the highest rate in Scotland, was down 37% on the year before when it was the worst year on record.

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Casey said there were interventions that had either been introduced or ramped up that can be seen to have contributed to the reduction.

He listed the crisis outreach service and the mobile harm reduction service reaching more people and making a difference.

However, while the number remains high it was recognised there is much more the city needs to do to save lives.

He said no single policy was a “silver bullet” but rather “collectively once we get these ideas into the arsenal it can make a difference to reduce deaths along with access to recovery which is hugely important.”

The motion to be debated on Thursday next week states: “Council agrees that the ‘war on drugs’ has failed and that decriminalisation would allow people found in possession of drugs to be treated and supported rather than criminalised and excluded.”

If agreed Councillor Casey as the convenor would write to the Scottish Government and UK Government outlining the Council's support for decriminalisation.