A “HOTSPOT” for discarded needles near a Glasgow Morrisons is not new — and is partly why the UK’s first drug consumption room opened in the area, the council’s addictions chief said.
Cllr Allan Casey SNP, who leads on homelessness and addiction services, has criticised “disinformation” around the Thistle — a safer drug consumption facility which opened last month.
Cllr Thomas Kerr — the former Conservative group leader in Glasgow who recently joined Reform UK — said residents were facing a “horrific” situation “because of the new drug consumption facility” and called for a clean-up.
When the Local Democracy Reporting Service visited the area, needles could be seen in the bushes on the edge of Morrisons’ car park.
But Cllr Casey said the council has been aware of public injecting at that site for years — with regular clean-ups carried out — and there is no evidence of an increase in discarded needles since the Thistle opened.
In response to Cllr Kerr’s comments, Cllr Casey said the council has “evidence going back years that there have been problems at that site”, and they are “part of the reason for the location of the site”.
“It is critical for the site that it is in a location that already has significant public injecting,” he added.
A recycling point at the Morrisons, which is off the Gallowgate, was previously removed due to the issues, Cllr Casey said, adding, while landowners are responsible for maintaining private property, council staff inspect the area regularly due to the “public health risk”.
While he said it was too early for evidence of a reduction in the number of needles, he had heard there were “positive” signs anecdotally. An independent evaluation of the facility is being carried out.
In a post online, Cllr Casey said: “Anyone proclaiming that public injecting in and around the Morrisons car park has just appeared since the Thistle has opened clearly has no idea about the local community.”
He added: “Week on week, the numbers of people using the facility has increased and this is a really positive sign that people are reducing harm by injecting in a safe, hygienic space and not the risky dangerous public sites.
“There is no doubt that people right now are still choosing to inject in public space and I really, really hope we can build trust with them to use the Thistle centre.”
