The Thistle is a new drugs consumption clinic in the east end of Glasgow, which aims to reduce drug-related deaths in the city. It will be open 365 days a year.

In 2023, 1,172 Scots died from drug misuse – a quarter of those in Glasgow, which has been named Europe’s drugs death capital.

Libby Brooks, the Guardian’s Scotland correspondent, speaks to staff at the Thistle about the services they are able to offer, and why they believe the service is vital in saving lives.

She says: “The population that the Thistle is dealing with, they are like the exemplar of hard to reach, right? They are people who have had, throughout their lives, really difficult experiences with conventional health services, with criminal justice, and so the Thistle is trying to connect with them in a very different way.

“They are now seeing folk who perhaps haven’t been to a medical appointment, haven’t seen anyone official for two, three years, and the Thistle is the first time that they’ve actually felt able to make an approach for help, for treatment.”

Libby tells Michael Safi why a political stalemate between the Scottish government and Westminster meant it took a decade for Glasgow city council to open the service, and the gradual shift towards a harm reduction approach in the UK.

Also, Councillor Allan Casey takes Libby around the neighbourhood to see public injection sites, and explains why they are so dangerous for drug users.

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