The Lord Advocate’s statement that paves the way for a drug consumption room in Glasgow has been welcomed across the political spectrum.

Dorothy Bain said that she would publish a policy that it would not be in the public interest to prosecute anyone for possession of drugs in a facility if it were to be opened by the council and health board.

It means the city’s Health and Social Care Partnership can press on with already well-developed plans for a pilot in Glasgow.

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The Scottish Government said the council and health board can now take forward its plans for a facility in the city.

Plans are expected to be put to the HSCP joint board later this month.

Glasgow Labour health spokesperson, Elaine McDougall, said it was a: “step in the right direction towards tackling the crisis of drug-related deaths”.

She said:''This progress is made all the more meaningful as it has been achieved without the need for further conflict between Scotland's two failing governments.

“However, this action alone will not be enough to combat the escalating fatalities. We must also reverse the damage caused by years of cuts to drug and alcohol beds, to make sure those in need can access the care they deserve.”

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Scottish Conservative leader, Douglas Ross, said: “We still have significant reservations about the effectiveness of consumption rooms, but the SNP now have no excuses not to take this action that they have been demanding for so long.

 

“Scotland has by far the highest drugs-death rate in Europe and this national emergency has spiralled out of control under the SNP.

 

“The Scottish Conservatives are happy for a variety of potential solutions to be looked at, even though we don’t think consumption rooms are the silver bullet ministers believe them to be.”

Scottish Greens health spokesperson, Gillian Mackay, said: "This is an important step forward and will provide hope and relief for people and families who have had their lives impacted by drug misuse. 

"The most important thing a drug policy can do is save lives. Safe consumption rooms are not a fix-all solution, but they have an important role to play as part of a more humane and less stigmatising system.

"This is a vindication for the campaigners and families who have led the calls for change. Far too many lives have been cut short by years of bad decision making

Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, said: “When Scotland has the worst drugs death rate in Europe, the first priority has to be reducing harm.

“International best practice shows that safe consumption is a vital tool to reducing harm. While the pilot discussed here may be more limited than what we would like to see in an ideal world, there can now be no excuses from the Scottish Government for failing to push ahead with a trial swiftly and urgently.”