Premier David Eby acknowledged the government's decriminalization initiatives, particularly around the public use of drugs, were the subject of concern from municipal governments, law enforcement officials and some citizens.Possession of small amounts of many illicit drugs was decriminalized in B.C. in January after the federal government issued an exemption to the province in a multipronged effort to try to stem the overdose death toll.
"No, not at all," said Eby at a news conference following the government's tabling in the legislature of its Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act. "The smoking restrictions, the distances around them, they're understandable," he said."They're in place, they make sense and that's how we came to the ultimate decision. The intention of this legislation is compliance rather than enforcement."
Almost 13,000 people have died in B.C. since the government declared a public health emergency in April 2016 due to illicit opioid overdoses. "We listened to those concerns and we've taken action," said Eby."We need a province where people feel secure in their communities. Also, we need our province to be a place that is one of compassion and empathy for people struggling with addiction."