Harm reduction advocate on decriminalization of simple drug possession
British Columbia’s landmark transfer to decriminalize easy possession of illicit drugs is getting loads of consideration from hurt discount specialists on Canada’s east coast, the place reviews of drug overdoses are on a gentle rise.
Diane Kerns is the hurt discount coordinator at Avenue B in Saint John, N.B., and says B.C.’s transfer is a step in the best course.
“However it’s not going to vary a factor with regard to folks dying for all of the poisonous substances in our drug provide,” says Kerns.
“We must be shifting towards protected provide. We’re permitting these toxic substances to be bought to our residents on the road who’re dwelling with a well being situation, who’re being handled like criminals.”
Kerns says the mixture of decriminalization and a regulated drug provide would assist unlock sources for police and the authorized system.
“However most significantly, folks wouldn’t be dying on the road,” says Kerns.
“We’ll at all times have medicine on the road. However I feel we’d see an enormous discount in these medicine on the road if we had been supplying a protected provide to individuals who have been addicted, dwelling with substance use dysfunction.”
“We’ve had this battle on medicine, this legal strategy for therefore lengthy that it’s crushed into our heads that we will’t make that soar. So I feel we’d like to have the ability to do the training to say this can be a well being situation, this can be a well being situation. It’s not a court docket situation, it’s not a ‘Let’s throw folks in jail’ situation.”
Kerns says the concept of hurt discount is a tough idea for a lot of to know or settle for.
“However you recognize, the extra folks you see die, and the larger the understanding, I feel we simply must be mild in strategy.”
The Saint John Police Power says there’s been a 30 per cent improve in medical associated overdose calls within the first 4 month of 2022 in comparison with the identical time interval in 2021.
In April, the town’s police issued a warning about carfentanil, an opioid drug meant to immobilize massive animals, probably circulating in the neighborhood.
‘TESTING THE WATERS’
British Columbia made an software to the federal authorities to be exempt from Canada’s drug legal guidelines for a three-year interval starting Jan. 31, 2023.
“This time restricted exemption is the primary of its type in Canada and with it comes nice accountability,” says Carolyn Bennet, the federal minister of psychological well being and addictions.
The Metropolis of Toronto has made an analogous exemption request.
Provincial governments throughout the Maritimes didn’t point out any instant plans to make an analogous software on Wednesday.
“I’m to listen to what B.C. has performed however I can’t provide you with far more than that as a result of I don’t understand how far down the highway we’ve checked out,” says New Brunswick Well being Minister Dorothy Shephard.
“However what I can say is hurt discount has been a technique of (New Brunswick) psychological well being and addictions for a while now.”
Nova Scotia’s Division of Well being and Wellness, and Prince Edward Island’s Division of Well being each say it is going to monitor the outcomes of British Columbia’s change.
“They’re testing the waters to see if the general public response is optimistic, destructive, impartial,” says Kerns.
