At the start of 2023, the Canadian province of British Columbia, in the west of the country, made the decision to no longer penalize the possession of less than 2.5 grams of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl or other hard drugs for personal use to combat the opioid crisis, which is wreaking havoc in North America. The goal was to no longer place the stigma on users, to make it more of a public health issue.
But since this measure, the taking of drugs in public places − parks, streets, beaches, hospitals, etc. − has increased significantly and, in the face of criticism, the province decided, Friday, April 26, to moderate this decriminalization policy launched for a experimental duration of three years.
The police – whose role previously included providing consumers with information about health and social services – will now be able to seize illegal drugs and force a user to leave the area, or arrest them.
Oregon to recriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs
“Our first priority remains safety. And while we care for those who face addictions, we do not accept disorder in the streets that makes people worry about their safety,” said the province’s premier, progressive David Eby. According to a press release, small possessions remain decriminalized at home.
Further south, the American state of Oregon announced in early April that it would recriminalize the possession of small quantities of narcotics from September, after having been the first American state to decriminalize all drugs.
