The Canadian province of British Columbia has launched an unprecedented pilot program in that country that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
Starting this Tuesday, adults can possess up to 2.5 g of those drugs, as well as methamphetamine, fentanyl, and morphine.
The Canadian federal government granted the West Coast province’s request to conduct the three-year experiment.
The pilot in British Columbia follows another program in the US state of Oregon, which decriminalized hard drugs in 2020.
Before the launch of the Canadian experiment, British Columbia and federal officials laid out its scope in an approved waiver to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
While hard drugs will remain illegal, adults found to be in possession of a combined total of less than 2.5 g you will not be arrested or charged and the substances in your possession will not be seized.
However, they will be offered information about the social and health services available.
Federal Minister for Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett called the move “a monumental change in drug policy that favors the fostering of trusting and supportive relationships in health and social services rather than further criminalization.”
public health emergency
Nearly 10,000 people died from drug overdoses. in British Columbia since the province declared these substances a public health emergency in 2016, according to official sources.
Vancouver’s unusual approach offers opioid users injection sites, antidotes and even prescription heroin.
“Decriminalizing people who use drugs removes the fear and shame associated with substance use and makes them feel more confident seeking help to save their lives,” said Jennifer Whiteside, British Columbia’s minister of mental health and addictions. .
Authorities offered training on the rule change to thousands of police officers, including those in Vancouver, the province’s largest city.
The program will be in effect from January 31, 2023 to January 31, 2026, unless revoked by the federal government.
Some experts have questioned the 2.5g limit, saying it is not enough to cover the habits of many addicts.
The new regime has several exceptions.
The sale of drugs is still illegal. It is also illegal to possess drugs on school grounds, day care centers, and airports.
Canada legalized adult recreational cannabis use nationwide in 2018.
But the drugs that are now allowed in small amounts are still prohibited, which means there are no plans to sell them in stores, unlike marijuana.
Trafficking those substances across borders also remains illegal. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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