Thoughts on BC Politics and More

The B.C. government has received approval from the federal government to prohibit the possession of illegal drugs at playgrounds, spray pools, wading pools and skate parks. In a statement Thursday, the province said the ban will go into effect Monday, Sept. 18. This means possession of “illicit drugs within 15 metres of any play structure in a playground, a spray or wading pool, or a skate park will be prohibited" ... CLICK HERE for the complete story  

The B.C. government has said reducing stigma around drug use is a key goal of its decriminalization program, but more than six months into the initiative, some advocates are worried it’s failing so far.   B.C.’s exemption to the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act took effect on Jan. 31, allowing adults to possess small amounts of certain drugs — opioids, crack, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA — for personal use.   Brittany Graham, executive director of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, said “political backlash” seems to have increased since the onset of the pilot project — the first of its kind in Canada.   For example, many right-wing organizations and politicians have used the policy “as a means to push their own agenda to have more cops,” she explained. Yet no evidence exists to suggest more enforcement is needed, she added ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

  ... In 2001, Portugal took a radical measure to combat its drug epidemic. It decriminalized all illicit drugs, choosing to treat addiction as a medical matter, not a criminal one.   Two decades later, facing a drug crisis of its own, the Canadian province of British Columbia chose to follow in Portugal’s footsteps. In January 2023, British Columbia temporarily removed criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and opioids. The policy was implemented as a three-year pilot program, authorized by an exemption from the federal government’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.   While some politicians, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poillievre, have fiercely criticized the government’s more lax drug policies, the reality is that they have yet to be fully tested. We are only a few months into this experiment, and the province’s approach to drugs is still taking shape. B.C. still has decisions to make regarding mec...