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British Columbia drugs decriminalization overview:
- Who: British Columbia, with the support of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has begun a three-year pilot program during which time it will decriminalize being found with small quantities of illicit drugs.
- Why: The pilot program is being conducted as an attempt to combat a drug overdose crisis in the western Canadian province.
- Where: British Columbia.
British Columbia will no longer prosecute individuals who are caught possessing small amounts of meth, heroin, ecstasy, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and various opioids, as part of a three-year pilot program the western Canadian province began late last month.
The program is being conducted as an attempt to help B.C. combat a drug overdose crisis, with the province believing it will allow them to tackle the problem as an issue of health, rather than crime, reports Reuters.
The province — which has declared drug overdose a public health emergency — has reportedly accounted for around one third of all 32,000 overdose deaths experienced in Canada since 2016.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated B.C.’s drug overdose problem, meanwhile, with the health crisis causing a disruption in support services and supply chains for illicit drugs, reports Reuters.
Preliminary data released last month by B.C. reportedly revealed a total of 2,272 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths last year, which would make it the second-deadliest year ever recorded behind 2021.
Prime Minister Justin Trudea signs off on British Columbia’s drug decriminalization pilot program
The program has been given the go-ahead from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said last May that it would allow the decriminalization of the drugs — a first for Canada, reports Reuters.
B.C. reportedly said it hopes the program will reduce the stigma around drug use and make drug users feel more comfortable coming to authorities for help, without having to fear legal consequences.
Individuals will only be immune from arrest if they are caught possessing — for personal use — less than 2.5 grams of a drug found on the exemption list, while the drugs themselves will still technically be illegal, reports Reuters.
A class action lawsuit was filed against 35 opioid manufacturers in Canada last month by an individual claiming the drug makers caused a public health crisis by allegedly misleading both the public and doctors about the effects of their drugs.
Have you or a loved one been impacted by a drug overdose? Let us know in the comments!
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