British Columbia’s provincial health officer has issued an urgent call to remove criminal penalties for people who use and possess personal amounts of illicit drugs, calling it a “fundamental underpinning and necessary next step” in the response to the overdose crisis.
Drug policy is a federal mandate but there are steps that provinces can take to de facto decriminalize. Dr. Henry provides two options in her report. In the second option, the Police Act could be amended to include a provision that prevents any member of a police force in B.C. from expending resources on the enforcement of simple possession offences.
“The RCMP is supportive of a comprehensive response to illicit drug abuse and recognizes that this is an evolving issue in Canada,” he wrote in an e-mail.
GlobeBC The war on drugs has failed. The war against prescription drugs has failed. Decriminalize possession and let adults deal with the adult consequences of their adult decisions.
GlobeBC Under Communist rule in the USSR, the drug of choice to anaesthetize people against their miserable life was vodka. The Communists made it cheap and legal to get drunk. Now it's illicit drugs. Same reason. Same purpose.
GlobeBC Let's decriminalize terrorism too. Oh, wait! We did! Khadr!
GlobeBC Really, not a good plan.