In British Columbia, people over 18 are now allowed to have up to 2.5 grams of certain hard drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and morphine.The province is the first in Canada to decriminalize a number of hard drugs, and it’s doing so as part of a three-year experiment amid an overdose epidemic. British Columbia’s overdose and trafficking deaths account for about a third of the 32,000 nationwide since 2016, according to state data.
“We will be able to reduce the stigma, the fear and shame that keep people who use drugs silent about their use, or using alone,” Canadian Federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett said. “And help more people access life-saving supports and treatment.”
If someone is found carrying fewer than 2.5 grams of those still-illegal drugs, they will not be charged or arrested. The drugs will not be confiscated. Instead, those individuals will be offered materials with information on health and social services.
In the United States, Oregon voted to decriminalize small amounts of hard drugs in 2020. Under Measure 110, possession of those drugs results in a civil citation, which comes with a $100 fine that can be waived with a health screening.
The change remains controversial.
