[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[The Larch]

Sorry for the intrusion. 

Just read that British Columbia is implementing a new drug policy that will allow for posession of small amounts of all kinds of stuff, including some hard drugs, and that resources will be shifted from policing to counseling and treatment for those caught with them. Can any of you guys give a longer explanation?

[crazy canuck]

There are a few things going on here. First, and foremost, we are about two years into a health crisis, which is not related to Covid about two years ago. The provincial health officer declared a medical emergency regarding overdose deaths.


Historically, there has been strong support for treating addiction as a medical problem. We were the first province that had a safe injection site as one example.

Policymakers are hoping that essentially decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of drugs, will destigmatize drug use and create more opportunity for people using drugs to seek proactive medical care and treatment for their addictions.

My concern is that this looks more like a Hail Mary to try and address the opioid overdose crisis. We are going through. But at least it's a start.

[Barrister]

So...

First of all BC can't decriminalize anything.  Criminal law is the jurisdiction of the Federal government.

That being said, what appears to be happening is that police in BC are being told not to investigate or charge simple possession of hard drugs.

The thing is, police haven't pursued such charges for 10-20 years already in BC.

https://twitter.com/JJ_McCullough/status/1620520232443080705

[Grey Fox]

It's a Health Canada granted exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It's currently schedule to last until 31st of January 2026.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals/policy-regulations/policy-documents/exemption-personal-possession-small-amounts-certain-illegal-drugs-british-columbia.html

[Barrister]

It's a Health Canada granted exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It's currently schedule to last until 31st of January 2026.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals/policy-regulations/policy-documents/exemption-personal-possession-small-amounts-certain-illegal-drugs-british-columbia.html

Thanks for clarifying.

But again - I don't see how this'll make much of a difference on the ground.  Simple possession of drugs is not something police actively investigate.  They may charge 4(1) CDSA is they're in the midst of a bunch of other charges, but not otherwise.

The only difference I can see - previously if the police found you in possession of fentanyl or meth, they'd take it away from you.  Now they'll let you keep it (if under 2.5g).  Not sure that's an improvement.

[crazy canuck]

So...

First of all BC can't decriminalize anything.  Criminal law is the jurisdiction of the Federal government.

That being said, what appears to be happening is that police in BC are being told not to investigate or charge simple possession of hard drugs.

The thing is, police haven't pursued such charges for 10-20 years already in BC.

https://twitter.com/JJ_McCullough/status/1620520232443080705

Thing is, the Province convinced the Feds to make this exemption.  So much for the province not being able to do anything 

It's a Health Canada granted exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It's currently schedule to last until 31st of January 2026.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals/policy-regulations/policy-documents/exemption-personal-possession-small-amounts-certain-illegal-drugs-british-columbia.html

To be more precise, the Province of BC persuaded the Feds to provide an exemption which is only applicable in BC.

[crazy canuck]

It's a Health Canada granted exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It's currently schedule to last until 31st of January 2026.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals/policy-regulations/policy-documents/exemption-personal-possession-small-amounts-certain-illegal-drugs-british-columbia.html

Thanks for clarifying.

But again - I don't see how this'll make much of a difference on the ground.  Simple possession of drugs is not something police actively investigate.  They may charge 4(1) CDSA is they're in the midst of a bunch of other charges, but not otherwise.

The only difference I can see - previously if the police found you in possession of fentanyl or meth, they'd take it away from you.  Now they'll let you keep it (if under 2.5g).  Not sure that's an improvement.

You don't see a difference between the risk of being charged and not having a risk of being charged? 

[Barrister]

It's a Health Canada granted exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It's currently schedule to last until 31st of January 2026.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals/policy-regulations/policy-documents/exemption-personal-possession-small-amounts-certain-illegal-drugs-british-columbia.html

Thanks for clarifying.

But again - I don't see how this'll make much of a difference on the ground.  Simple possession of drugs is not something police actively investigate.  They may charge 4(1) CDSA is they're in the midst of a bunch of other charges, but not otherwise.

The only difference I can see - previously if the police found you in possession of fentanyl or meth, they'd take it away from you.  Now they'll let you keep it (if under 2.5g).  Not sure that's an improvement.

You don't see a difference between the risk of being charged and not having a risk of being charged? 

There hasn't been a meaningful risk of being charged for simple possession for a long time.

Like I said - police would take away your drugs, but that'd be about it.  Unless if they were charging you anyways, then they'd throw on the 4(1) as well.

[Josephus]

I have a lot more hope than you guys. So much shit on PeePee will come out when an election is called. Dude has been using the government to pay his mortgage to start.

One thing I've learned. People don't give a shit.

[Barrister]

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health during the pandemic until fired by Danielle Smith, is now going to be a deputy CMOH in BC.

https://twitter.com/cspotweet/status/1620818527572877313

Twitter responses are predictably a hot mess.

[viper37]

Can any of you guys give a longer explanation?

They launched Insite saying it would solve the drug problem and cure additcts of their problem.  Opponents said it wouldn't and it was morally wrong to give addicts easier access to the stuff.

Turns out it didn't change anything on the drug front, but it made life worst for everyone else.

I don't know about BC, but in Quebec, it made the neighbourhood even less safe than they were before and attracted addicts from all over Eastern North America.  Criminality has increased a lot in Quebec city in this sector, and Montreal, well, it's Montreal.  People keep stabbing and shooting at one another over there, it's hard to guess what's going on exactly.  But given how these neighbourhoods are also going to shit, there seems to be a link.

Drug legalization will be the same.  Good idea in theory.  Bad idea in practice.  Cops don't actively seek out individual drug users for possessing drugs.  They do when they commit crimes to get their drugs.  Making it legal to possess the drug won't change anything. 

And before we give free heroin to junkies, there's a thousand useful meds that should be given for free to really sick people.  People make their own conscious choices.  If they need help to quit, I'm all for helping them ease off of it.  But not for fueling their addictions.  We don't give alcohol to alcoholics.  We get them to stop cold turkey.  We don't tell them to drink a little from time to time, we tell them they have to stop forever.

Supervised injections turned out to be crappped research, and so will this be.

[PRC]

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health during the pandemic until fired by Danielle Smith, is now going to be a deputy CMOH in BC.

https://twitter.com/cspotweet/status/1620818527572877313

Twitter responses are predictably a hot mess.

Fleeing Alberta... like the rest of the healthcare community.

[viper37]

So much for the province not being able to do anything 

If BC could get the Feds to solve fiscal imbalance for good, it'd be much appreciated and much much more useful.  Thank you very much in advance!

[Barrister]

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health during the pandemic until fired by Danielle Smith, is now going to be a deputy CMOH in BC.

https://twitter.com/cspotweet/status/1620818527572877313

Twitter responses are predictably a hot mess.

Fleeing Alberta... like the rest of the healthcare community.

That's one set of responses, yes.

[Jacob]

That's one set of responses, yes.

What's the other set? Some sort of "good riddance, Dr. Henry and Dr. Hinshaw are both awful so of course they want to work together" kind of thing?