UK's First Supervised Drug Consumption Facility Set to Open in Glasgow

The Glasgow-based center, opening January 13, aims to reduce drug-related deaths and provide addiction support under medical supervision.

The facility, called the Thistle, will operate 365 days a year from 9 AM to 9 PM in Glasgow's east end on Hunter Street.
It will allow individuals to use illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine under clinical supervision, with the goal of reducing overdoses and encouraging treatment engagement.
Scotland has the highest drug-related death rate in Europe, with 1,172 deaths recorded in 2023—a 12% increase from the previous year.
The project, delayed from its initial 2024 opening due to building system checks, was approved in 2023 after years of political disputes between the Scottish and UK governments.
Funded with £2.3 million from Scotland's five-year National Mission to address drug deaths, the facility is part of broader harm reduction efforts including naloxone access and residential rehabilitation programs.