Scotland's first drug-checking service has opened its doors in a move the government says will save lives.
The facility allows addicts over the age of 18 to submit drug samples to be checked before receiving tailored advice based on the results, including information about the substance, its strength and any contaminants.
The Scottish Government said the service will give people with drug addiction advice about their health, as well as treatment, and care and recovery options.
National testing laboratory
Samples will be sent to the new national testing and research laboratory for drug-testing at the University of Dundee.
Scotland's drugs minister, Maree Todd, said the move will help authorities detect the spread of potentially dangerous new drugs, including synthetic opioids which have contributed to a rise in drug deaths.
The drug-checking service is based next door to Scotland's first safer drug consumption rooms in Glasgow's East End.
Expansion to Aberdeen and Dundee
Drug checking services are expected to open in Aberdeen and Dundee in the coming months, while Edinburgh is also working to establish a site.
Speaking to the Press Association at the opening of the Glasgow facility, Ms Todd said she was "confident" the service would save lives.
Asked whether it would reduce Scotland's high rate of drug deaths, she said: "That's a really difficult question. I think that this will save lives.
"Whether our numbers will go up or down next year, we are at the mercy of a highly contaminated, toxic market that is killing people in Scotland.
"This is a step that we can take to try to reduce that harm and to reduce the death.
"I think it's really important that this is happening, and I'm very hopeful that we are going to be able to make an impact on the overall numbers as soon as possible."
Early warning system
The drugs minister said the facility will help people ensure "they have got what they thought they bought".
She warned: "Very often, Scotland is a highly contaminated, highly dangerous market.
"Very often in Scotland people are not getting what they think they are buying.
"This is an important step to ensuring that people know what they are taking."
The Scottish Government hopes the facility will serve as an early warning system as new drugs flood the market.
Ms Todd told the Press Association authorities will be able to detect new drugs quicker due to the service.
She said: "Individuals coming here can get individual harm reduction advice but also a sample gets sent off to Dundee, and information is available then to the entirety of Scotland about what is contaminating the market, and that information can go right out across Scotland to try to prevent deaths all over the country."
