Tuesday, April 30, 2024
NewsHealthShocking image shows drug paraphernalia discarded just miles from COP26 event

Shocking image shows drug paraphernalia discarded just miles from COP26 event

A SHOCKING image shows a large amount of drug paraphernalia scattered on a street just over a mile away from the COP26 event.

Scots drug activist Peter Krykant captured the horrifying photograph in Queen Street, Glasgow yesterday.

Dozens of discarded open packaging from spoons, lighters and needles commonly used for drug use were found in the corner of the alleyway.

Cluttered drug paraphernalia
The large amount of drug paraphernalia scattered on a street just over a mile away from the COP26 event.            C Peter Krykant

World leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Indian President Narendra Modi, attended the climate change conference at the SSE Hydro just five minutes away.

Peter also captured a vile video showing another street full of discarded drug paraphernalia alongside human faeces on Saturday – the day before COP26 started.

The clip was captured in Glasgow city centre and shows Peter walking along an alleyway which was full of used needles.

 

The 44-year-old shared the image and video on Facebook in a bid to raise awareness of the ongoing drug death crisis in Scotland.

Posting the video on Saturday, Peter wrote: “The Glasgow COP26 world leaders won’t see.

“Even our own leaders don’t see that it sits yards from where people are shopping, drinking & eating in fancy restaurants.

“The Glasgow, with used condoms, needles and faeces.

Used equipment
Used equipment left in the street.          C Peter Krykant

“The Glasgow that saw 444 preventable drug deaths last year.”

The post has received hundreds of likes and retweets from shocked social media users.

@WellesleyDOW tweeted: “Holy F***”

@britain_scott wrote: “They don’t care it’s that simple.”

@CuriousCrippin commented: “Decriminalisation now.

“Drug consumption rooms now.

“Stop the stigma.

“PWUD are human.”

@8oydJimmyTre said: “It is an addiction not a lifestyle choice.

“I should know, I have been clean for 14 years and I lost everything while on drugs.

“If it was a lifestyle choice I would have simply changed it but being an addiction it isn’t so easy.”

naloxone
Peter carries Naloxone with him to help people who overdose.            C Peter Krykant

Sharing the image from yesterday on Twitter. Peter wrote: “Sad visit to #Glasgow with public injecting areas as bad as ever.

“Access to #safeconsumption sites is badly needed.”

Peter is an advocate for decriminalisation and safe use of illicit substances and previously ran his own illegal safe drug space in his van.

The van was in operation for nine months and kept a light on Scotland’s drug problem. 

Now the safe space is no longer in use Peter claims the visibility of needles has increased at an alarming rate. 

Peter’s consumption van is due to be taken over by an English charity. 

It will be moved south of the border to be the centerpiece of a campaign in aid of changing drug policy in England.

Scotland has the highest drug death rate in Europe and between 2013 and 2020, suspected drug deaths in Scotland have skyrocketed from 527 to 1,339.

Glasgow accounts for 444 of these. 

The Scottish Government have long been advocates for the implementation of safe drug areas where substance users immediately have the help required if they were to overdose.

However the proposal has been blocked by the UK Government.

Related Stories