The B.C. NDP used its majority on Monday to block a BC United motion to vote on scrapping the three-year drug-decriminalization pilot, days after saying it wants to ban drug use in public areas and hospitals.
But Eby said arresting someone struggling with addiction and taking them to court does not deal with addiction or saving lives. “It is a significant use of time, energy and money that could be better put towards treatment or rehabilitation.” Use of personal amounts of hard drugs in private residences, as well as shelters and overdose-prevention sites, would continue to be allowed.
But Eby said other jurisdictions can learn from B.C.’s experience when it comes to public drug use. “There are important lessons to be learned on where we are to date that don’t need to be repeated in other places,” he said.Harm-reduction activists have balked at the province’s proposed amendment banning public drug use, arguing it will drive drug users to hide their addictions from police, and some will die as a result.
“I think the government is making a mountain out of a molehill for the number of places and times when people use publicly that there has been issues.” The move to ban drug consumption in public places follows a public backlash against open drug use, police complaints that they don’t have the tools they need to keep public order, and nurses reporting drug use and drug deals in hospital rooms.
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