A plea to declare the increase of drug related deaths in Glasgow as a public health emergency will be presented at full council this week.

Labour councillor Aileen McKenzie has tabled a motion to discuss Scotland’s drug crisis which claimed 1187 lives last year and saw an increase in drug related deaths in Glasgow by 45 per cent.

The councillor will ask that the local authority treats “each and every drug related death as a tragedy” and for members to agree that “this public health crisis requires concerted effort from all levels of government”.

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Councillor McKenzie said: “The drug death rate in Glasgow should be declared a public health emergency.

“It is an epidemic. Addiction should be treated as a health and mental health issue.

“We need to help people get off street Valium and Etizolam which are the main problems.

“Police Scotland are doing everything they can to stop these substances from getting out there but it is hard.

“This issue is personal to me and I have an invested interest in it as my dad was an addict and he passed away 17 years ago this month due to his addiction.”

The Scottish Government has announced it will invest a further £20 million over two years to tackle illicit drugs, reduce harm and stop the rising number of drug deaths.

It was hoped a Safer Drug Consumption Facility could be piloted in Bridgeton but this was blocked by the UK Government.

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Ms McKenzie hopes the council will continue to support the need for the consumption facility but agrees that a “broad range of support and co-ordination is also needed”.

She continued: “We were hoping this centre, which would facilitate 30 addicts would be operational last year but it wasn’t allowed to go ahead.

“We wanted a safe space for drug users to come, give them clean needles and a room but have medical staff standing by ready to help if they overdosed.

“We would not have provided the Heroin.

“The council should pay tribute to those whose have lost loved ones in the face of this crisis, and therefore declare the increasing number of drug-related deaths as a public health emergency.”