From Tuesday, all those who are above 18 will be exempted from getting penalised under a criminal offence to possess small amounts of certain illicit drugs in Canada’s British Columbia (BC) province.
The latest guideline is part of a three-year pilot programme in which the federal government granted BC an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA).
This exemption will be in effect from Jan 31, 2023, to Jan 31, 2026.
The provincial government has decided to rope in stakeholders to implement this policy change, including the federal government, health authorities, law enforcement, and people with lived and living experience to establish safety indicators in order to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of this exemption in real-time.
“The shocking number of lives lost to the overdose crisis requires bold actions and significant policy change. I have thoroughly reviewed and carefully considered both the public health and public safety impacts of this request,” Carolyn Bennett, federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, said in a statement.
“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.”
Which drugs are included in the pilot?
Under the exemption, up to 2.5 grams of the following four drug types can be legally possessed:
- Cocaine (crack and powder).
- Methamphetamine.
- MDMA.
- Opioids (including heroin, fentanyl and morphine).
How will the police enforce the law?
According to local media, police have been provided with infographics and photos illustrating what 2.5 grams of the decriminalised drugs might look like.
To determine which drugs are in someone’s possession, officers are being instructed to simply ask the drug user what they believe the substance to be, reports CBC news outlet.
The province has developed a training process for police that many departments, including the RCMP and Vancouver Police Department, have made mandatory for all officers.
(With inputs from agencies)
