Together with a coalition of organizations representing victims and survivors of the war on drugs our organization signed a letter that condemns the so-called “Vancouver Model” for decriminalization, because we feel that this model will cause more harm and it will set the country on the wrong course for decriminalization.

In the words of our co-founder Leslie Mcbain in a joint press release.

“The criminalization of people who use drugs and the stigma that comes with it has long-lasting negative consequences for individuals, including fear within their families and friends. Criminalization causes instability and fear for people who use drugs who often, as a consequence, use illicit drugs alone and die alone.”

We need #DecrimDoneRight

This letter is signed by Amnesty International Canada , Association des intervenants en dépendance du Québec (AIDQ); AVI Health and Community Services, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, BC Civil Liberties Association, Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs (CAPUD), Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (National), Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy Vancouver, Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, Each+Every, Harm Reduction Nurses Association, HIV Legal Network, Moms Stop the Harm, Pivot Legal Society, South Riverdale Community Health Centre (Toronto), and Thunderbird Partnership Foundation.