Canada to decriminalise few drugs in British Columbia to tackle substance abuse
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The three-year exemption will be effective from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026, and will apply to drug users 18 and above
Canada has said that it would temporarily decriminalise the possession of small amounts of illegal drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamines for three years in the western British Columbia province—the epicentre of the country’s drug overdose problem.
The three-year exemption will be effective from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026, and will apply to drug users 18 and above.
According to an official statement, the substances would remain illegal, but adults found in possession of up to 2.5 grams of the illicit substances will no longer be arrested, charged or have their drugs seized.
The move, a first in Canada, aims to reduce the stigma associated with substance use and make it easier for people to approach law enforcement and other authorities to seek guidance.
It will offer information on available health and social supports instead of punishing those found in possession of small amounts of exempt drugs.
The federal government will work with the province to analyse the exemption and may make real-time adjustments if changes are required, federal minister of mental health and addictions, Carolyn Bennett, said.
Watch | Canada to temporarily decriminalise certain drugs in British Columbia
The exemption would not apply to airports, schools and members of the Canadian military.
Bennett said this move could serve as a template for other jurisdictions across Canada.
“This time-limited exemption is the first of its kind in Canada,” AP quoted Bennett as saying. “Real-time adjustments will be made upon receiving analysis of any data that indicates a need to change.”
British Columbia declared drug-related deaths a public health emergency in 2016. Since the pandemic, rates of opioid use in the western province touched alarming levels, with a record 2,224 deaths in 2021, compared to 1,767 in 2020, and one of the highest per capita rates in North America, reports the New York Times.
(With inputs from agencies)
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