‘Courageous’ drug coverage campaigner Peter Krykant discovered useless aged 48 | EUROtoday

Peter Krykant, the campaigner who risked arrest to blaze a path for safer drug consumption amenities in Scotland, has died on the age of 48.

The activist grew to become a public determine in 2020 after creating and working the UK’s first unofficial overdose prevention service in Glasgow utilizing a repurposed van, in a bid to alleviate the drug deaths disaster nonetheless claiming lives in Scotland and the broader UK.

Operating for 9 months, the service – which supplied drug customers within the metropolis a sanitary and supervised different to consuming medicine alone on the street or at house – oversaw almost 900 injections, efficiently intervening in all 9 overdoses that occurred, a examine discovered.

These lifesaving amenities have lengthy been rejected by Westminster, regardless of being utilized in shut to twenty international locations worldwide, and Krykant was arrested in 2020 for his efforts to forestall overdoses and cut back the unfold of bloodborne viruses – with the fees later dropped.

In the wake of Krykant’s activism, nevertheless, Scotland’s lord advocate intervened in 2023 to say that such prosecutions “would not be in the public interest”. As a outcome, the UK authorities relented that it will not block such providers in Scotland, as stress mounted on Holyrood to take extra radical steps to save lots of lives.

The UK’s solely safer drug consumption facility, The Thistle, opened within the East End of Glasgow earlier this yr.

In its first seven weeks of opening, The Thistle was used greater than 1,000 occasions by 143 people, with a lot of medical emergencies managed over that interval.

But whereas many campaigners credit score Krykant with paving the way in which for this lifesaving service and serving to to pile stress on Holyrood to prioritise tackling the disaster, the campaigner would later say that it had taken a toll on his personal wellbeing.

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“It took somebody ruining their life for them [politicians] to say they could do something about it [the drugs crisis]and that person was me,” Krykant advised creator Dr Kojo Koram in January, including: “I’m not in a good place, now. And that all stems from when I took the decision to go out and run that van.”

After working his facility for 9 months in Glasgow with out funding or official permission, Krykant donated the car, which was later upgraded to a repurposed ambulance, to the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, which took it across the UK.

Krykant would later stand within the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections as an unbiased candidate, and went on to work for the drug therapy charity Cranstoun, persevering with to be a distinguished voice globally in drug coverage discussions.

Mr Krykant, who began taking medicine aged 11 and started to inject heroin on the age of 17, whereas additionally experiencing homelessness, stopped utilizing medicine for 11 years. He would later say that the stress of politics and his activism had prompted him to relapse into utilizing medicine.

He had been visiting London within the days earlier than his demise however had returned to his flat in Larbert, when pals grew to become involved about his wellbeing, the Daily Record reported.

A Police Scotland spokesperson mentioned: “Around 5.15pm on Monday, 9 June 2025, police attended an address in Graham Avenue, Larbert following a report of a concern for person.

“The body of a 48-year-old man was found within. His next of kin has been informed. A post mortem examination will be carried out in due course. The death is being treated as unexplained.”

Scotland’s first minister John Swinney was amongst these to pay tribute to Krykant, saying: “His powerful voice on drugs policy reform, in particular his tireless work to deliver safe consumption rooms, leaves an important legacy which will be remembered.”

Aamer Anwar, the lawyer who represented Krykant when he was arrested in 2020, described him as “a one-man army, with a mission to save lives”, including: “It was humbling to see him single-handedly fight to deliver the first safe consumption room for drugs in the UK.

“Since childhood he was driven by demons, but Peter was also a beautiful, kind and courageous man. He leaves behind his two boys whom he loved dearly and family and friends who will be utterly devastated.

“I hope with time they can find some comfort in that Peter will be at peace and his name will one day be remembered as a drugs campaigner decades ahead of his time.”

Journalist Dani Garavelli mentioned: “Peter Krykant kept all the lives being lost to drugs in the public eye [and] forced the Scottish government into action”. Noting that, with out his efforts, The Thistle wouldn’t exist, the columnist added: “It was a privilege to know him. I hope he’s at peace.”

Ronnie Cowan, former SNP MP for Inverclyde, mentioned: “Peter Krykant dared to go where no politicians would. He led by example with great bravery and a tenacious enthusiasm. While we talked and people died, Peter acted. I was proud to support his DCR and only wish we could have done more.”