SCOTLAND could take a step towards safe consumption of drugs facilities as Nicola Sturgeon is reportedly set to meet with a controversial activist.

Peter Krykant has operated a mobile drugs consumption facility in Glasgow which has been formally rejected UK Government. The facility allows injecting heroin and cocaine addicts to use his clean facility.

Former public health minister, Joe FitzPatrick, who lost his job on Friday after Scotland’s drugs deaths soared to 1,264 in 2019, had refused to visit Mr Krykant’s van when he had parked it outside the Scottish Parliament, amid claims a police charge against him while running the facility would make any meeting “inappropriate”.

Speaking in Holyrood last week, Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, said: "Is there not an overwhelming case for saying that Scotland should adopt a principle now, that, in the absence of other criminal offences, the provision of life-saving health interventions such as safer consumption facilities should not be prosecuted, because shutting down such services can never be in the public interest?

READ MORE: Ministers say Peter Krykant's Glasgow 'mobile drug fix room' is illegal

"If we adopt that principle, would not those services have the chance to develop in order to provide a service of the standard that is required?"

Mr FitzPatrick’s replacement will be nominated on Monday but Angela Constance has become Scotland’s dedicated Drugs Minister until the Holyrood election.

But the Sunday Mail reported that Ms Sturgeon will meet with Mr Krykant on January 7, before she chairs a meeting of the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce after announcing last week she will be taking a more active role in drugs policy.

Campaigners calling for the crisis to be treated more as a health problem believe if the First Minister is open to Mr Krykant’s activities, it could open up a host of “de facto” measures to decriminalise some aspects of drug policy, the Sunday Mail reported.

READ MORE: Joe FitzPatrick quits as Public Health Minister over drugs deaths

Mr Krykant said: “Since starting the overdose prevention site, we have supervised 118 injections and saved two lives already. We could save so many more.

“Of course, saving lives is the beginning. We need to offer support and care to those often forgotten about, often using drugs to escape lives filled with trauma.

"I’m hopeful now more than ever as Nicola Sturgeon has stepped up and appointed a dedicated drugs minister.

“With a 100 per cent focus on drug policy, we can quickly change the trajectory of these tragic, preventable deaths.

“My heart is hopeful that, with cross-party conversations, organisational work and some specific action taken, 2021 can be different. With 2020 almost gone, those involved in the drug dependency field know it’s been another bad year.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We can’t say anything specific on the meeting at the moment.”