With B.C. on track to count 2022 as 害羞草研究所減ossibly the worst year ever害羞草研究所� for toxic-drug deaths, the start of a three-year trial that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of illicit drugs is just around the corner.

Health Canada last May announced that as of Jan. 31, 2023, British Columbians aged 18 and older will be allowed to carry up to 2.5 grams of street drugs 害羞草研究所� including cocaine and fentanyl 害羞草研究所� without fear of penalty or seizure, provided the drugs are for personal use.

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Semiahmoo Peninsula locals who have seen the effects of such drugs firsthand have expressed mixed feelings on the exemption, describing it as everything from a step in a 害羞草研究所渃ompassionate direction,害羞草研究所� to a move that害羞草研究所檚 unlikely to have any significant impact on the opioid-crisis death toll.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not that I害羞草研究所檓 not in favour,害羞草研究所� Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South and BC Liberal Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, said Monday (Jan. 9). 害羞草研究所淚 think that with the record number of people that are losing their life to drug toxicity, we have to take a bold action.

害羞草研究所淏ut where we stand as an Opposition, is it cannot be the only pillar of our system.

害羞草研究所淲e need to make sure that as we do this pilot of decriminalization, that we are also providing pathways to recovery for people, and sufficient and appropriate mental-health services so that people have a chance not just to be kept in illness, but to actually make a recovery.

害羞草研究所淚 just think that the pace at which we have sort of jettisoned towards decriminalization is far outpacing this government, how they害羞草研究所檝e been providing for those services. Lots of announcements, but very little in terms of treatment for people.害羞草研究所�

In announcing the move, government officials described the exemption as 害羞草研究所渁 critical step害羞草研究所� that will 害羞草研究所渞educe stigma and harm and provide another tool for British Columbia to end the overdose crisis,害羞草研究所� by removing barriers that prevent people from accessing services and treatment.

The threshold amount is just over half of the 4.5-gram limit that had been requested by the province, and it comes with caveats, including that B.C. improve health and social systems to support the implementation.

George Passmore, director of personal and family counselling and support for Sources Community Resource Centres, described the 害羞草研究所淥K害羞草研究所� given as a step in a 害羞草研究所渃ompassionate direction害羞草研究所� towards viewing those who use such substances as people 害羞草研究所渙f dignity, and worthy of community, not scorn and marginalization.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hat can eventually result in less societal judgment, condemnation and social distancing, which can save pain and lives,害羞草研究所� Passmore said.

With the exemption looming, Passmore said he is also hopeful the new rules will generate 害羞草研究所渕ore nuanced害羞草研究所� conversations between parents and kids about substances; boost understanding and awareness of benefits versus harms, rather than simply stating 害羞草研究所渙h, it害羞草研究所檚 illegal,害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 bad.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 glad that now害羞草研究所� we can shift the conversations more towards harm reduction, understanding healthy relationships with drug use.害羞草研究所�

However, the lower limit could also have an unintended consequence, he said 害羞草研究所� that of encouraging manufacturers to boost the potency of their drugs, 害羞草研究所渟o people can get a greater effect with a lesser amount.害羞草研究所�

According to statistics released by the BC Coroners Service last fall, illicit-drug toxicity deaths have doubled to 42 per 100,000 people since the opioid crisis was declared a public-health emergency in April 2016.

At least 10,000 people in B.C. have died due to toxic-drug overdoses since that declaration; 1,827 of them in the first 10 months of 2022. In October alone, at least 179 lives were lost to the poisoned supply.

Cole Izsak, a South Surrey resident and founder of Back on Track Recovery House, does not believe the numbers will improve with decriminalization. He pointed to abstinence-based recovery and treatment 害羞草研究所� which is the model his facility follows 害羞草研究所� as a more effective direction than the one chosen.

害羞草研究所淭o use our government害羞草研究所檚 resources to perpetuate addiction, it doesn害羞草研究所檛 feel right to me,害羞草研究所� Izsak said.

害羞草研究所淚t doesn害羞草研究所檛 feel compassionate. It害羞草研究所檚 disguised as compassion.害羞草研究所�

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Izsak said the Portuguese model of decriminalization 害羞草研究所� in which drug use and possession of small quantities are dealt with through an administrative process 害羞草研究所� is one B.C. could learn from. It has been 害羞草研究所渧ery effective over the past decade in decriminalizing simple possession,害羞草研究所� he said.

Since 2001, Portugal has been referring those caught using or possessing small amounts of illicit drugs to panels of legal, health and social-work experts tasked with helping them tackle issues related to their drug use.

The tactic has been credited with decreasing the number of users diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B and C; increasing the number of users receiving voluntary drug treatment; and, reducing drug-user incarceration numbers. As well, the country害羞草研究所檚 overdose-death numbers are among the lowest in the European Union, according to a report in the series.

At Izsak害羞草研究所檚 facility, the focus is 害羞草研究所渢eaching (residents) how to live and showing them that clarity of mind and body is the right thing to do, even if getting high is fun sometimes.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚n this day and age, (using drugs comes at) too great a cost,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 Russian roulette, because there害羞草研究所檚 fentanyl in so much.害羞草研究所�

Sturko 害羞草研究所� who left the Surrey RCMP to pursue politics specifically because of the opioid crisis 害羞草研究所� noted decriminalization is not exactly new in B.C. There has been a form of it 害羞草研究所渇or quite some time,害羞草研究所� she said, explaining that B.C. Prosecution Service 害羞草研究所渧ery rarely害羞草研究所� follows through on simple possession charges.

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She plans to meet with community advocates and people with lived experience, as well as her colleagues in other ministries in an effort to have a meaningful impact on the opioid crisis.

Passmore, noting the opioid crisis is the number 1 cause of deaths in B.C., said an 害羞草研究所渦pstream害羞草研究所� approach is key, and the new rules do have the potential to effect some change.

害羞草研究所淚f anything, I hope that the decriminalization can really result in a shift in focus towards caring about people who are using substances in a variety of ways, and think about how do we connect with folks and support their well-being, without necessarily requiring them to stop using.害羞草研究所�