Canada to temporarily decriminalize some drug possession to tackle abuse problem
source link: https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/crime-pmn/canada-to-temporarily-decriminalize-some-drug-possession-to-tackle-abuse-problem
Go to the source link to view the article. You can view the picture content, updated content and better typesetting reading experience. If the link is broken, please click the button below to view the snapshot at that time.
Breadcrumb Trail Links
Canada to temporarily decriminalize some drug possession to tackle abuse problem
Author of the article:
Article content
Canada will temporarily decriminalize the possession of some illegal drugs like cocaine, MDMA and opioids for personal use by adults in British Columbia (B.C.) to help tackle a burgeoning drug abuse problem in the province, the government said on Tuesday.
Jury rules Amber Heard defamed Johnny Depp
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, according to an official statement.
B.C., Canada’s westernmost province and the epicenter of the country’s overdose crisis, had requested the federal government for such an exemption in November.
Advertisement 2
Article content
The exemption, a first in Canada, is intended to reduce the stigma associated with substance use and make it easier for people to approach law enforcement and other authorities to seek guidance.
“Eliminating criminal penalties for those carrying small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use will reduce stigma and harm and provide another tool for British Columbia to end the overdose crisis,” said federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett.
The exemption will be in effect from Jan. 31, 2023 to Jan. 31, 2026 and police 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 analyze the exemption and may make real time adjustments if changes are required, Bennett said.
Advertisement 3
Article content
The exemption would not apply to airports, schools and members of the Canadian military.
Over 26,000 people died from opioid-related overdoses roughly between 2016 and 2021 across Canada. Since 2016 in B.C., when the province declared a public health emergency, over 9,400 deaths have been recorded due to overdose.
“Substance use is a public health issue, not a criminal one,” said B.C.’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson, adding that the exemption will help the province in fighting the crisis. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa Editing by Chris Reese and Aurora Ellis)
Share this article in your social network
Advertisement
NP Posted
Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.
This Week in Flyers
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Recommend
-
11
In-person meatspace protocol to prove unconditional possession of a private key In-person meatspace protocol to prove unconditional possession of a private key 2019 Oct 01 See all posts
-
13
Like Blaze News? Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. Oregon became the first state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamp...
-
9
Swansea City announce week-long social media boycott to tackle abuseLast updated on 8 April 20218 April 2021.From the section SwanseaSwansea City have an...
-
3
LISTEN TO ARTICLE Seattle’s city council voted unanimously to relax its rules against naturally occurring drugs, joining a handful of other cities that have decriminalize...
-
16
Can Online Safety Bill tackle social media abuse of MPs?By Jennifer ScottPolitical reporter, BBC NewsPublished28 minutes agoRelated Topics
-
5
Naomi Long proposes forum to tackle online abuse of politiciansBy Jayne McCormackBBC News NI political correspondentPublished20 hours ago
-
4
Canada Moves to Decriminalize Possession of ‘Hard’ DrugsBritish Columbia’s three-year trial aims to address its opioid crisis. The legislation has been welcomed, but some think it’s still too conservati...
-
7
Recommended Stories
-
4
UNICEF partners to tackle fake medicine abuse internationally By Mark Samuels
About Joyk
Aggregate valuable and interesting links.
Joyk means Joy of geeK