The chief of a B.C. municipal police force has issued an open letter criticizing British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 drug decriminalization policies as ineffective in the face of the ongoing overdose crisis.

Delta Chief Const. Neil Dubord says in the letter that while he agrees with 害羞草研究所渢he underlying principles of decriminalization,害羞草研究所� an early evaluation shows that the policy has not led to 害羞草研究所渢he desired outcome.害羞草研究所�

B.C. decriminalized the possession of small amounts of certain drugs such as heroin, fentanyl and cocaine starting in late January as part of a three-year pilot program.

Dubord says there were 791 overdose deaths in the province between then and May, which 害羞草研究所渃losely mirrors害羞草研究所� the 772 deaths recorded during the same period last year.

In a written statement, the B.C. Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions says it agrees with Dubord害羞草研究所檚 assessment that 害羞草研究所渁 whole-system approach害羞草研究所� is needed to deal with the toxic drug crisis.

But the statement also says 害羞草研究所渄ecriminalization is one critical way害羞草研究所� the province is tackling the problem 害羞草研究所渇rom every angle,害羞草研究所� and the government plans to spend $1 billion in its latest budget toward addressing addiction 害羞草研究所� including $586 million for 害羞草研究所渢reatment and recovery.害羞草研究所�

In his letter, Dubord cites a report in the Washington Post that describes Portugal as 害羞草研究所渉aving doubts害羞草研究所� about its own decriminalization policy, introduced in 2001 and widely cited as a success by policymakers worldwide.

The story describes locals attributing rising crime levels to a spike in the number of drug users.

Dubord says B.C. 害羞草研究所渃an learn from Portugal害羞草研究所檚 experiences.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he pitfalls of inconsistent policy, lack of oversight and measurement of initiatives, systems working in silos and funding decisions pose risks to the desired objectives of the B.C. decriminalization pilot project,害羞草研究所� he says.

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