Canada will temporarily decriminalise the possession of cocaine, MDMA, opiates and other illegal drugs it has been announced today.
In the British Columbia province, the three-year trial will decriminalise the possession of up to 2.5 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and opioids.
Under the new plans, those caught with the drug will not face criminal intervention or legal consequences and instead will be signposted to health and social services.
On the plans, Carolyn Bennett, federal minister of mental health and addictions said, “for too many years, the ideological opposition to harm reduction has cost lives.
“We are doing this to save lives, but also to give people using drugs their dignity and choices.”
Five years ago, the number of drug overdoses in British Columbia forced the government to declare a public health emergency.
In the last 6 years, over 9,000 have died of a drug overdose in British Columbia.
Here in the UK, London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently appointed a chair of the London Drugs Commission to explore legalising cannabis.
Khan said, “We need to have an honest, open conversation about the evidence in relation to the history of cannabis and our laws in the UK and our experience of the health consequences in relation to crime and the community.
“The best way to do that will be with the drugs commission we’ve now set up.
“You can hear from the experts, that’s one thing, but seeing it for yourself … hearing from those who cultivate and grow this plant has been fascinating.”