Glasgow residents 'too afraid' to leave homes due to drug misuse

The community council has raised concerns for the safety of locals and warn city streets are becoming “strewn” with discarded needles.

Members of Merchant City and Trongate Community Council have said that although the issue has been ongoing for years, it is becoming more prevalent due to the coronavirus lockdown. 

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Chairman Duncan MacLaren, said: “With the lack of footfall in the city centre given the number of lockdowns, people with addiction problems have become more visible.

“Leading dysfunctional lifestyles, many drug users do not wear masks and approach people for money without keeping the appropriate distance. If they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, encounters can of course potentially become dangerous if they are shouting without a mask and come close to pedestrians. 

“Some residents report that they have become too afraid to go out, especially at night.”

The group has been dealing with a number of reports from neighbours, who, on a few occasions, have had to dispose of used needles themselves. 

Areas of concern include Miller Street, Virginia Street car park, lanes close to Argyle Street at the Trongate and a privately-owned car park on Albion Street.

Discarded needles found in a close along Argyle Street

Mr McLaren added: “The lanes behind the Trongate part of Argyle Street appear to be strewn with needles and other paraphernalia.

“There have also been reports of needles in some basements in properties in the Merchant City. We have been made aware of residential buildings also being broken into for the purpose of drug use.”

Last year, we told how reports of discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia found in Glasgow reached a ten-year high with 802 incidents reported to Glasgow City Council.

While the group supports the introduction of safe drug consumption rooms, it is calling on the local authority to find alternative uses for the empty spots in Glasgow that are used for drug misuse.  

Mr McLaren said: “We understand that we must not demonise the sections of the community who have challenging and very complex needs and problems.

“It is also not a case of moving the problem to another part of the city. 

“The area will always attract a vast mixture of people. We asked for a more visible presence of the police on our streets and this has been done according to police sources. 

“Secondly, there are too many empty spaces and buildings in the city centre which can be broken into and used to take drugs. 

“The Council needs to make such spaces unusable – or find alternative uses for them through the Lanes Project, for example.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Sadly, Glasgow’s drugs deaths crisis is well documented and that is why the city is championing the introduction of innovative treatments aimed at saving and improving the lives of vulnerable people with addictions issues.

“Glasgow already has Scotland’s first Heroin Assisted Treatment programme and we are also committed to opening a Safer Drug Consumption Facility (SDCF).

"This would help cut the number of fatal overdoses and reduce public injecting, as people would have a safe, private and clean place to inject and to dispose of their equipment securely.

"The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh backed the introduction of such a facility earlier this week, but, unfortunately, until the legal framework is in place to do open such a facility, we cannot do so.

“We understand and indeed share the frustrations of Merchant City Community Council.

"Glasgow City Council monitors areas of concern and uplifts discarded needles and drug paraphernalia. And another option currently in the very early stages of discussion with partners including the council, is the introduction of safe disposal bins.

"They have proved helpful in reducing publicly discarded drug injecting paraphernalia in countries like Australia and Canada and their merits will now be considered here.

“However, some of the locations highlighted by residents are private property and discussions would also need to take place with the owners about the idea.”

The Glasgow Times approached Q-Park for comment.