Decriminalization can be a confusing concept. In British Columbia, it became an exemption on January 31, 2023 for a three year test period; the only province to receive it from the Federal Government.

In part, the exemption states that a person who carries 2.5 grams or less of an illicit substance may not be charged with a crime. This is a good policy, without question. It puts out into the public domain the fact that many people use illicit substances and should not be criminalized for it. It keeps people who use drugs (PWUD) safer. And this will also eventually act to reduce the stigma associated with drug use. The drugs included are opioids (including heroin, fentanyl, morphine), cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy).

It is a historic move by the Feds to grant this exemption to the province of British Columbia. It is a small step but an important one toward treating PWUD not as criminals but simply as people.

What decriminalization will not do is stop the deaths. It will not stop the six people each day dying in British Columbia because of using toxic illicit street drugs.

So, decriminalization is a good step and a historic step, even though it does not go far enough.

One downside of the present iteration of decriminalization is that the allowable amount of 2.5g is very small. People who are dependent or addicted often use five, six or seven times this much in a day. The 2.5 gram limit requires that those people will have to go out into the toxic illicit market several times a day if they are to act within the law.

This increases the danger and the probability of accessing toxic drugs. There is also the factor that drug possession will still involve law enforcement, as the police are the ones who will make a decision on what and how much a person is carrying. Over the next three years, statistics will be gathered and we advocates will work on an improved version of decriminalization.

In conclusion, decriminalization is progress. However, if the governments could implement a safe, legal and regulated supply of the drugs people need, decriminalization would be much less important.