Norrie Rowan warns that Edinburgh’s proposed Safe Consumption Room in the Old Town risks repeating what he describes as policy failure elsewhere: rising street dealing, public drug use, discarded needles, and mounting pressure on local businesses and residents. Drawing on experiences from Glasgow’s Calton district, Rowan argues that harm-reduction in practice has meant increased disruption without meaningful pathways out of addiction.
Norrie speaks with community members and business owners who say they’ve seen crime, antisocial behaviour, and environmental decline escalate since similar facilities opened. Rowan challenges the framing of the policy as compassion, questioning whether it treats addiction - or simply manages it = and whether Edinburgh’s historic city centre should bear the social, economic, and reputational cost.
