Drug consumption rooms – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

January 13, 2025

Drug consumption facilities: they’ve been around since 1986 and now Scotland has one – but do they work?

Ian Hamilton, University of York and Harry Sumnall, Liverpool John Moores University

The Thistle drug room in Glasgow could help fill some important gaps in knowledge about the benefits of these facilities.

In 2014, US Coast Guard vessels seized four tons of cocaine and other drugs in what was then considered a “big” bust. Seizures have continued to climb, only to be outstripped by production. Connie Terrell/US Coast Guard

July 26, 2023

International drug policy: at a crossroads or a dead‑end?

Khalid Tinasti, Graduate Institute – Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement (IHEID) and Yong-an Zhang, Shanghai University

Drug seizures are on the rise, but so too are production, consumption, trafficking and violence. The current drug control regime is showing its limits, yet the changes needed require consensus.

Injecting in public is associated with nuisance and more frequent overdose deaths. Diego Cervo/shutterstock.com

November 3, 2016

First UK ‘fixing room’ could be turning point in approach to treating addicts

Georgia Butler, Kingston University

Safer drug consumption rooms can cut overdose deaths and reduce public nuisance. Other countries use them – isn’t it time the UK did too?

While Sydney’s medically supervised injecting centre has had positive results, we need drug consumption rooms all over the country. AAP/Paul Miller

January 18, 2016

Why Australia needs drug consumption rooms

Alex Wodak, St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst

With use of drugs such as ice on the rise, drug consumption rooms are now being set up in Europe to provide supervised inhalation.

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