Zero Rehab Referrals Spark Political Row

Scotland’s pioneering drug consumption room has come under fierce scrutiny after failing to make a single rehab referral since opening its doors nine months ago.

The Thistle centre in Glasgow, which costs taxpayers £2.3 million annually, has recorded 7,165 visits and responded to 60 medical emergencies between January and August 2025. The government had assured the public that the facility would act as a gateway to recovery pathways, but official figures show it has directed no users to residential treatment programmes.

‘Lost Opportunity’ Warning from Opposition

Kelda Gaffney, representing the city’s health and social care partnership, confirmed the absence of rehab referrals whilst noting that 50 individuals had been signposted to “some kind of care”. The lack of structured recovery pathways from harm reduction services has sparked fierce political debate.

Conservative MSP Annie Wells described the situation as a “lost opportunity”, stating: “When discussing this we were told it would be a pathway into residential rehab. We are not really seeing that.”

Overdose Survivors Return to Fix Room

The facility has served 418 individuals in total—333 men and 85 women—with more than 4,000 supervised injecting episodes recorded. Concerningly, some users returned to inject drugs at the same location even after staff saved their lives following overdoses.

Minister Defends Life-Saving Claims

Scotland’s Drugs Minister Maree Todd defended the initiative, insisting: “I’m absolutely confident The Thistle is saving lives.” The minister’s comments underscore the government’s position that preventing fatal overdoses remains the primary objective of the facility, even as questions mount over its effectiveness in facilitating recovery pathways and long-term support.

Questions Over Recovery Pathways

Pat Togher, a senior health and social care official, emphasised the facility’s usage statistics whilst acknowledging the absence of formal rehab referrals.The data suggests that, while users are utilising the supervised injection site as intended for harm reduction, it has yet to help them move towards abstinence-based treatment.

Future of Scotland’s Drug Policy Under Scrutiny

The debate surrounding Glasgow’s facility reflects broader tensions within drug policy between harm reduction approaches and recovery-focused interventions. With the pilot scheme potentially paving the way for additional sites across Scotland, critics argue that taxpayer-funded services must demonstrate measurable progress in creating effective recovery pathways and helping users overcome addiction rather than merely managing its symptoms.

As pressure mounts on health authorities to justify the substantial financial investment, questions persist about whether the current model adequately balances immediate safety concerns with the longer-term goal of connecting individuals to meaningful rehab referrals and support services.

Source: dbrecoveryresources