The federal government has announced that early next year, British Columbia will be the first province in Canada to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use.
The decision comes after the BC government applied for an exemption under the Federal Drugs and Controlled Substances Act, which makes it a crime to have most illicit substances even in small amounts.
As of January 31, 2023, BC adults carrying up to 2.5 grams of certain drugs, such as opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine, will not be arrested or charged, and the drugs will not be confiscated.
Instead, the police will provide information about available services and, upon request, accompany you to connect with those services.
“Decriminalizing simple drug possession is a historic, courageous and groundbreaking step in the fight to save lives. It marks a fundamental rethinking of drug policy that promotes health care above handcuffs, “said Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, a provincial health officer, has long been an advocate for decriminalization.
“It simply came to our notice then. It’s hard to believe we really got here, ”Henry said.
Although the law of possession for personal use was rarely enforced by police, Henry says the exemption is less about legal consequences than reducing stigma and shame about illicit drug use.
“Because of this risk of being branded a criminal, losing a job, not being able to get an apartment, not being able to travel, things like losing your children, it prevents them from talking to their family and friends about drug use. And that keeps them from accessing services, “Henry said.
BC mental health and addiction minister Sheila Malcolmson said stigma and secrecy about substance use kills. “Shame and fear prevent people from accessing the care they need, and the fear of being criminalized has led many people to hide their addiction and use drugs alone. And using it alone can mean dying alone, “he said.
The province had requested a 4.5 gram personal use exemption from the federal government. Moms Stop the Harm co-founder Leslie McBain is concerned that the accumulated 2.5 grams of illicit drugs that will be allowed will not be enough for some addicts who use them more daily.
“The more times you have to access this illicit supply, the more likely you are to overdose or die. That’s why 2.5 grams is not practical, it’s not what people who use drugs need to feel,” he said. dir McBain.
She agrees that it will reduce the stigma surrounding drug use. But McBain believes the key to reducing deaths is a secure, regulated supply.
“Decriminalization is a step in the right direction, but in itself it will not save lives,” said McBain, who lost his son Jordan to an overdose in 2014. Illicit drugs have become much more lethal since since then. “We are losing our loved ones at an almost incredible rate,” he said.
The personal use exemption applies to all adults 18 years of age or older within the jurisdictional limits of BC, except on primary and secondary school grounds, on the facilities of families with a child care license. at airports and Canadian Coast Guard ships and helicopters.
Health Canada says BC province will use the eight months prior to the start of the exemption to talk to affected groups and train law enforcement.
Possession for the purpose of trafficking, production or export of any of the drugs listed in the exemption remains illegal, regardless of the amount.