B.C. to begin drug decriminalization

Moms Stop the Harm advocates and supporters march from Centennial Square to the B.C. Ministry of Health building where pictures of loved ones hang on display during the sixth anniversary to mark the public health emergency of the declaration due to the significant increase in opioid-related overdose in Victoria in 2022. British Columbia will become the first province Jan. 31 to decriminalize people who carry a small amount of illicit drugs for their personal use. (Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito)

Jan 30, 2023 | 10:16 AM Pete McIntyre

The British Columbia government says its plan to decriminalize small amounts of drugs for personal use includes hiring staff in health authorities to connect people with services in their community.

It says even though police will no longer be arresting people and seizing their drugs, officers will hand out resource cards when they happen to interact with substance users so they can voluntarily access social and health services.

Decriminalization comes Tuesday after a federal exemption from Canada’s drug laws to allow substance users to possess a total of 2.5 grams of opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, as well as crack and powder cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA, also known as ecstasy.

Over 11,000 people have fatally overdosed in B.C. from toxic street drugs since the province declared a public health emergency in 2016, and decriminalization is aimed at reducing stigma, which prevents people from accessing services.

The province says decriminalization is just one tool in the fight against the overdose crisis and it has worked with the RCMP and municipal police departments to develop training and guidance that is available to about 9,000 officers.

Decriminalization applies to substance users over age 18 but the plan is being criticized for not including youth.

Here are five things to know about decriminalization:

WHICH DRUGS WILL PEOPLE BE PERMITTED TO POSSESS, AND HOW MUCH?

Drug users will be allowed to carry up to a total of 2.5 grams of opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, as well as crack and powder cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA, also known as ecstasy. B.C.’s application to the federal government called for 4.5 grams, but police requested one gram before a decision by Ottawa to allow a cumulative 2.5 grams.

WHY IS B.C. DECRIMINALIZING PEOPLE WHO POSSESS ILLEGAL DRUGS?

The province says it aims to reduce stigma around drug use, so people reach out for help to get services like counselling and treatment in the midst of the crisis that has claimed over 11,000 lives since a public health emergency was declared in April 2016. The B.C. government says decriminalization is one tool to deal with the toxic drug supply. However, drug users and advocates are concerned that services will not be available when people are ready to use them, especially in rural and remote communities.

HOW WILL THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ADAPT TO DECRIMINALIZATION?

Substance users who carry up to the maximum threshold will no longer be arrested or charged, and police will not seize their drugs. Instead, police will be handing out so-called resource cards with information on where people can access services in their community. The province says it has hired staff in each health authority to liaise with people who have been referred by police.

HOW WILL DECRIMINALIZATION BE MONITORED AND EVALUATED?

The federal and provincial governments say they will work together to monitor indicators related to health and criminal justice, for example. Trends in substance use, interactions with police and public perceptions of people who use drugs are expected to be included in the data, as well as input from drug users. The evaluation will be done by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

WHAT ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES?

Illegal drugs will still be prohibited for youth under 18, on school grounds, at licensed child-care facilities and at airports.

(The Canadian Press)