First step or misstep? Mixed reaction to B.C. drug decriminalization
Global News
The province is set to embark on a three-year drug decriminalization experiment Tuesday, built on a three-year federal exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
British Columbia’s pilot project to decriminalize possession of small quantities of some drugs either doesn’t go far enough, or is a potentially dangerous misstep, depending on who you ask.
The province is set to embark on a three-year experiment Tuesday, built on a three-year federal exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
That exemption will allow drug users to carry up to 2.5 grams of opioids like heroin or fentanyl, crack and powdered cocaine, or methamphetamines and MDMA. Under the program, police will not confiscate small quantities of drugs from people, and will instead hand out information on recovery options.
Speaking on CKNW’s The Mike Smyth Show, harm reduction and recovery advocate Guy Felicella described the initiative as a “good first step,” which will help reduce the stigma drug users face.
That stigma, he said, is a key reason why many people use drugs alone, often leading to fatal overdoses.
Decriminalization will also keep many people from the cycle of incarceration, allowing them to begin to stabilize their lives.
“If you get caught up in criminalization it’s very hard to get out, it’s very hard to get support and guess what, you’re incarcerated instead of having an option go to a rehabilitation centre,” he said.
“Getting employment or trying to find housing, all of those aspects with a criminal record make it extremely challenging.”