Glasgow Opens the UK’s First Safer Drug Consumption Facility
History has been made in Glasgow, Scotland, with the opening of The Thistle, the United Kingdom’s first Safer Drug Consumption Facility, on 13 January 2025.
About The Thistle
Developed by Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in collaboration with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and other partners, The Thistle offers a supervised healthcare setting where people can inject drugs in a clean, hygienic environment, under the care of trained health and social professionals.
The facility aims to reduce the negative impacts of outdoor injecting on local communities while providing people who use drugs with access to essential health services, harm reduction support, and pathways to improve their lives. The facility sets a precedent for the UK, demonstrating how evidence-based approaches can save lives, support communities, and uphold the dignity of people who use drugs.