Glasgow has formally come out in support of the decriminalisation of personal drugs use as the council continues to back the need for safe consumption rooms.A motion calling for the City Council to adopt a position supporting decriminalisation was brought forward to Thursday’s full council by the SNP City Convener for Homelessness and Addiction Services councillor Allan Casey.
Councillor Casey said: “I’m pleased that Glasgow has adopted a position on an approach to addiction and drug misuse which is humane and evidence-based. “I know that taking a position on this is important and can make a difference. Glasgow having a collective voice on safe consumption, for example, has allowed us to put forward a strong case, something I’ve no doubt the Home Affairs Select Committee took on board when it came out in favour of a pilot in our city. I believe our voice on decriminalisation can have a similar effect.”
“We don’t believe full decriminalisation is the right approach to tackling the crisis. The Scottish Government needs to invest more into addiction services to support people through their addiction. “We need to treat addiction in the same way we treat all long term illnesses and restore the help that we have deprived the sufferers of for years now.