As of January 2016, nearly 25,000 people have died from opioid-related causes, according to the Public Health Service of Canada, which collects data from all provinces except Quebec.
As the opioid-related overdose and death crisis rages in Canada, supporters have long said that decriminalization would help reduce drug-related stigma and save lives.
However, despite calls for decriminalization from the Liberal parliamentary group, Prime Minister Justin Trindade said in the 2021 federal election that it was not something his government wanted to bring about.
Under the Drugs and Drugs Act, jurisdictions may request exemptions from the federal government to allow people to have small amounts of substances such as cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.
Vancouver officially requested it in May 2021.
British Columbia was the first province to submit its own request in November 2021. It was followed by Toronto in January.
BC Mental Health and Addiction Secretary Sheila Malcolmson said this was one of many steps the county was taking to “save lives in the toxic drug crisis”.
“The number of people who continue to lose their lives from the supply of toxic drugs while using only drugs is all we need to know that stigma and shame cost people their lives,” Malcolmson said.
A recent report from the BC Medical Examiner’s Office found that between January 2019 and January 2022, more than half of all drug-related deaths occurred at home.
Malcolmson said the stigma prevents people from getting help with addictions and shame pushes many to hide their addiction and use drugs on their own. This means that they are in danger of dying alone.
“Addiction is not a problem of criminal justice. “It’s a healthcare problem,” Malcolmson said.
The medical examiner’s report stated that 2,224 people died from suspected overdoses in BC. in 2021, the most ever recorded in one year. This is an increase of 26% compared to 2020.
Malcolmson said responding to the overdose crisis would require multiple approaches.
“It’s never going to be just decriminalization. “That alone will not save lives.”
“But if we have the health care support that people can turn to, they do not feel ashamed and stigmatized for drug use. They are willing to talk to their primary health care provider, which in turn can help people get treatment or prescribe a safe supply.
“This is the link between decriminalization and other things we do.”
Dr. Eileen de Villa, a Toronto doctor, said he saw the city’s request as a change in its drug policy approach.
“The reality is that an approach that focuses on or involves criminalization actually leads to stigma and discrimination, which in fact exacerbates the situation on the ground,” de Villa said.
Prosecuting those who use drugs can also put people at risk when trying to access harm reduction services, employment and housing, de Villa said.
Mary Clare Zak is Vancouver City’s policy director and has led the city’s exemption request.
He said half of the people who have been seized drugs by police in the city at the moment have less than the occupancy limits that Vancouver wants to enforce.
The proposed thresholds for opioids will be two grams, cocaine at three grams, cocaine at one gram and amphetamine at 1.5 grams, upon request.
Anyone with less than these limits will not face charges and the drugs will not be removed if there is no evidence of other offenses, such as trafficking.
“People who have had their drugs confiscated, who are addicted to drugs, need to go out and find more drugs,” said Jacques.
“And that could lead them to have to make a desperate purchase from a dealer or a source unknown to them and put them at a higher risk.”
So far, Health Canada has not ruled on any of the exemption requests and says it will not comment on the requests being considered.
A spokesman said in a statement Friday that the government recognizes the different approaches taken by jurisdictions and agencies and is working with its partners to find “innovative solutions”.
“This is a time-consuming process,” de Villa said.
“My feeling from the Health Canada staff is that they are as helpful as possible,” Zak said. “They tell us that things are still going on and that they are having talks.”
Malcolmson said its staff is also in active talks with Health Canada about implementing the BC.
“It’s definitely something we’re asking for urgently,” Malcolmson said, noting that even if approved, it would take time for the changes to take effect.
“This is not just a light switch movement.”
Ending the opioid crisis is complicated, but Zack said decriminalization is something governments can do to help quickly.
“Secure supply is extremely important. “And it will take a long time, unless the minister has a magic wand to make some changes in the position within the health system, in the position within the regulators,” he said.
