A FORMER addiction support worker has called for a second drug crisis centre in Glasgow and more rehab facilities.

It comes as Glasgow pushed ahead with plans for a safe consumption room after Scotland’s Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC said it would not be in the public interest to prosecute users of drug consumption rooms for possession.

The SNP-led city council backed the decriminalisation of personal drug use on Thursday, as the city looks for ways to tackle its high drug deaths.

Councillor Audrey Dempsey, who used to be an addiction family support worker, has said decriminalisation and drug consumption facilities must be part of a wider package of increased services.

The Labour politician called for a second drug crisis centre to be opened in the city, in addition to the current facility in Tradeston Street, saying that it can be devastating for people beginning recovery if there are no spaces available.

She said: “We need more of what the crisis centre does because it cannot cope with the demand on its own.”

Although welcoming a safe consumption facility, Councillor Dempsey said services need to be ready to deal with it.

She said the new facility could bring people from outside the city to Glasgow based on evidence abroad and said services must be equipped to accommodate them.

The Springburn Robroyston councillor also said there is the potential that only a limited percentage of people may visit a safe consumption room.

She voiced concern about making sure there is support to help people taking substances elsewhere.

Commenting on her experience in the field, Councillor Dempsey said: “I  have suffered the loss of service users overdosing. The stigma of addiction is ridiculous. People don’t deserve that.

“We have to make sure there is support for everybody at every stage of addiction. We don’t have enough rehab centres. There are waiting lists – people are being put off their detox. There is so much more needed to help recovery than decriminalisation and safe consumption rooms.”

Another concern is that people trying to recover from drug abuse have had no mental health support until they are clean according to Councillor Dempsey, who runs a a family support charity.

She said: “People are not getting support while they are in the transition of getting clean.”

She said: “Safer consumption rooms and decriminalisation are acceptable as part of a holistic package. On its own it is not strong enough. It is important to take into consideration everybody’s needs.”

SNP councillor Allan Casey brought a motion to council last week seconded by fellow party councillor Declan Blench, which was carried.

Among other points, it said: “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.”

It recommended Glasgow “should pilot the use of drug consumption rooms; restate our longstanding commitment to be a place where new ideas to tackle this ongoing public health crisis are progressed.”

Labour councillor Elaine McDougall brought an amendment to the motion, which was rejected saying: “Council is committed to the creation of a pilot of safe consumption rooms in the city, as part of a wider holistic drugs strategy, and asks the Scottish Government to use its existing powers to make this happen.

"Council also agrees to engage in full consultation with communities across the city which may have consumption rooms located within to build trust.”

Councillor Dempsey who seconded the motion said the “contributions from other councillors indicated the need for legalisation and not decriminalisation and we felt the debate became distorted.”

An SNP spokesperson said: “The Glasgow SNP’s position on addressing the city’s drugs crisis remains clear and unambiguous. We’ve long supported safe consumption facilities as a means to saving lives and turning them around and are delighted this is now being delivered.

“We’re clear that these facilities need to be backed by treatment and services and will always press for continuing investment. And we maintain that those suffering from addiction should not be criminalised, a position only Labour failed to support.

“What is however unclear is whether Cllr Dempsey is now rolling back on her public opposition to decriminalisation because of the justifiable backlash. Or whether she is reflecting a shift in Scottish Labour’s stance on the issue.”