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Town Hall Square in Glasgow. RFI / Assa Samaké-Roman

With nearly 1,200 overdose deaths in 2018, an increase of 27% in one year, Scotland is the European nation with the most deaths from hard drug use. A record number due to the consumption of opioids. The situation is getting worse. Scottish elected officials and associations are demanding radical measures from the government.

A Monday morning summer under the greyness of Glasgow, the city center is lively. Tourists go shopping, street musicians sing covers. It's easy not to see that Scotland's largest city has the biggest problem of overdose deaths: last year, 394 Glaswegians lost their lives. Figure from a report published in July 2019 by the Scottish Government. " So many people in Scotland have no idea, " said Austin Smith of the Scottish Drugs Forum, which trains professionals who target drug users and works in partnership with other associations. " We have never seen such high numbers, and the situation is getting worse exponentially. The Scottish Drugs Forum estimates that today 55,000 people in Scotland have problem drug use.

Injecting drugs and benzodiazepines wreak havoc

Historically it is the heroin, drug injecting, which is the first cause of this tragedy. But now we must add cocaine and what are called street benzodiazepines (including false Valium, an antidepressant). The vast majority of victims do not consume one, but many of these drugs, often combined with the one we do not talk about much, whether in Scotland or France: alcohol. " The problem with benzodiazepines on the streets, says Austin Smith, is that they are manufactured abroad and are bought in large quantities, so they are cheap. Dosages are random, and users take a lot: 40 or even 60 tablets a day. "

After years of consumption, inevitably, the health of users declines rapidly. It is a cohort aged over 30 that forms the largest number of victims. Unfortunately, because of the stigma these people face, they are reluctant to ask for help. In addition, drug use is not decriminalized in Scotland. Mhairi McKean, who is leading a team at Waverley Care to help people on the streets, regrets the stigma. " Drug users use it to survive, not just for fun. It is time for us to consider this as a public health issue . " For those who would be tempted to make a moral judgment about those who struggle with addiction, Mhairi McKean recalls that " we are all drug users, at different levels. Some people are going to need a big glass of wine on their way home at night, others with antidepressants. What makes the difference is having support networks around you , including a family you can count on. Many users do not have this support, sometimes from a very young age.

Risk of HIV infection

Waverley Care is dedicated to the fight against HIV and hepatitis C. Injecting drug users are particularly exposed to it: in fact, by exchanging syringes, the risk of contamination is particularly high. In fact, Glasgow has experienced an upsurge in infections, with 100 new HIV cases detected between 2015 and 2017, including many homeless people. This is why so-called harm reduction measures are being taken, including a needle exchange program for new needles, which is being used by some pharmacies. But for some elected, it is not enough. Many of them are calling for safer consumer rooms, better known as shooting rooms. Glasgow MP Alisson Thewliss of the Scottish National Party (SNP) is a passionate advocate for the cause. " We need to see the opening of a safer consumer room as a key part of any public response. I listened to the experts on this subject and took into account the evidence that followed the installation of similar infrastructures all over the world. The arguments in favor of a consumer hall in Glasgow are undeniable. It will provide a safe and hygienic place for drug users, supervised by health professionals. Most importantly, it will give health services the opportunity to go directly to people in the shadows and direct them to additional support . "

A social problem first and foremost

The drug epidemic in Scotland is also a social problem. The vast majority of addicted people who die from overdoses are from the poorest 15% of Scottish society. For Mhairi McKean, this proves that it is not enough to reduce the risks associated with consumption. It is the entire society that has to wonder why many of its members are abandoned, without opportunities, without housing, and turn to the only comfort they can easily find: drugs. For her, it will not happen without the independence of Scotland. " It's the only way to move forward. The problem is that drug legislation is restricted to London (it is not decentralized in Edinburgh). If we become independent, then we can have more progressive Scottish answers on this subject . "