Support The Bill To Decriminalize People Who Use Drugs!
Our co-founders Leslie McBain and Petra Schulz wrote a letter to Justin Trudeau in February to request his support for a private members bill called C-216 that would, if passed, decriminalize personal drug possession and take a number of other important steps towards ending our country’s cruel and unsuccessful war on drugs.
Those of us who have seen this crisis firsthand know the devastation caused by the criminalization of substance use. Individuals, families and communities are harmed and too many die when the stigma of criminalization causes them to use drugs alone.
While we sent a letter to the Prime Minister, we feel strongly that this issue should not be partisan, but that this bill deserves support from all sides of the House of Commons.
All MPs need to know this and you can help by forwarding our letter to the Prime Minister (along with a short note saying you would like your MP to support Bill C-216.) Or you can use the following text or edit as you see fit to your MP:
Dear [Name of your MP]
I am writing to request that you support Bill C-216, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to enact the Expungement of Certain Drug-related Convictions Act and the National Strategy on Substance Use Act.
Measures taken to date to address the overdose crisis have failed. The results of this failure are heartbreaking in the extreme. About 25,000 Canadians have died since 2016, according to official figures that are at least seven months out of date, but we know that every day 20 Canadians die from fatal drug poisoning.
I am calling for bold action to end these preventable deaths and believe that Bill C-216 is the kind of action required. Also, I strongly believe that all parties need to work together to get this bill passed. It should not be viewed as a partisan issue but as a necessary step towards ending this unbearable crisis.
Bill C-216 will help save lives. I urge you to support it. .
Regards
[Your name]
You can find the email of your MP by searching this page using your postal code.
