DRUGS activist Peter Krykant broke down in tears in a heart-breaking video, calling for immediate action to help save lives.
The campaigner, who operates a safe consumption space in Glasgow, made the emotional post after a 21-year-old woman came close to overdosing in the facility.
The mobile facility offers a safe space to inject, while volunteers keep a supply of clean needles and overdose-preventing naloxone.
READ MORE: Drugs activist Peter Krykant to run for Holyrood at May election
After receiving the life-saving treatment, the woman insisted on writing a letter to Krykant.
“To Peter,” it read. “I’m so, so sorry for all the s*** I’ve caused you. But thank you for saving my life even though I’m an attention seeker with a f***** up head. But you have a heart bigger than the ocean and all the stars in the galaxy.”
Writing on Twitter after the incident, Krykant said he had cried a lot in the aftermath.
“I’ve just got home from providing the overdose prevention service,” he told the camera. “I don’t know what to do. I’m absolutely f****** devastated, I really am. I just don’t know what to do.
Yesterday I cried a lot, today I am not ashamed to show emotions.
— Peter Krykant (@PeteKrykant_OPC) March 6, 2021
When I got home from the overdose prevention service I recorded this as I dont write much.
Who will help & step up to save these young lives?
21 year old being left to die along with so many other young people. pic.twitter.com/vBcJxb2XiW
“I don’t know what to do, but I just hope somebody does something soon because … people are just dying. They’re getting left to f****** die out there. It’s outrageous.
“Anyway. I’ll be back out on Monday, and just keep going, just keep going … until someone does something.
“Please, if anybody watches this. Just do something because this can’t go on. These are young people. With life opportunities ahead of them. If we can just keep them alive through … just provide a bit of dignity and keep them alive for a little bit. Things can happen, things can change, it doesn’t always need to be like that … injecting heroin and cocaine every day like I was.
“Just f***** somebody do something. Please. You need to get your act together, government, whoever, Lord Advocate, whoever’s responsible for getting something done.”
READ MORE: Andrew Tickell: Lord Advocate has a role to play over safe consumption rooms
Scotland has the worst drug death rate in Europe with more than 1200 people dying of drug misuse in 2019, according to the latest figures.
Attempts to legalise safe drug facilities in Glasgow and across Scotland have been unsuccessful, with the UK Government rejecting calls to decriminalise drugs or allow safe consumption spaces to operate.
Krykant has long called for the Scottish Government to do more on the issue, arguing the Lord Advocate could provide legal cover for safe consumption spaces with a “letter of comfort” to allow the services to run without fear of criminal prosecution.
The campaigner is also running as an independent candidate for the Falkirk East seat in this year’s Scottish Parliament election.
In January he told The National: “Yes we could do more with independence but while we’ve not got independence, we’ve not control over things like the Misuse of Drugs Act, what we’ve got to do is push the boundaries because it will make a difference.”
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