Sites in the Cowgate and Spittal Street, at the foot of Edinburgh Castle, are the frontrunners to host the service, where up to nine people at a time would be supervised while injecting or inhaling illegal drugs. Users would then move to a relaxation area offering food, showers and advice from addiction specialists.

The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board will begin preparing a business case, with a public consultation due in early 2026. Christine Laverty, the board’s chief officer, said: “Such a public consultation will attract substantial attention and raise both hopes and fears within different communities.”

A report to the board said there was “a growing evidence base” that such facilities reduce drug deaths and public risks linked to discarded needles and blood-borne viruses. It recommends a single harm reduction hub in the city centre incorporating the safer drug consumption facility.

The report highlighted that the Old Town has the highest concentration of harms linked to public injecting, including in car parks, toilets and parks. Seven of 63 suspected drug-related deaths in Edinburgh between January and July this year were attributed to public injection in the area. On average, the Old Town sees 12 drug deaths and 180 ambulance callouts annually within a 15-minute walk.

The cost of the facility is expected to be “substantial”, with up to 45 staff required to operate it 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Scotland’s first drug consumption room opened in Glasgow in January after the lord advocate ruled it would not be in the public interest to prosecute staff. For years, ministers argued they lacked the power to authorise such facilities under UK drugs law, blaming the Home Office for delays.

Scottish Conservatives shadow drugs minister Annie Wells MSP condemned the Edinburgh plans, saying: “After the problems with the SNP’s drug consumption room in Glasgow, people in Edinburgh will be horrified at the thought of one landing on their doorstep.

“The SNP pinned their hopes on state-sponsored drug taking – at huge cost to the taxpayer – yet deaths are still rising, while local residents have been forced to dodge discarded needles outside The Thistle.

“In contrast, our Right to Recovery Bill can be a game-changer by guaranteeing everyone access to life-saving treatment, including residential rehab. The SNP government need to finally back the bill instead of continuing to listen to a small clique of publicly-funded groups whose policies have failed to tackle this national emergency.”