2024 Year in Review: Decriminalization and recriminalization of illicit drug use in B.C.
Posted December 26, 2024 3:58 pm.
Last Updated December 26, 2024 3:59 pm.
This year, the B.C. government walked back a project meant to tackle the toxic drug deaths crisis in the province.
The decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs like opioids, cocaine, and meth happened in Jan., 2023 — meant to be a three-year pilot aimed at reducing the stigma and criminalization around illicit drug use, often a barrier for users seeking help.
However, there were soon growing concerns about open drug and disorder use in public spaces, even in hospitals, throughout many communities.
In April of 2024, the B.C. government announced it was radically altering the pilot, with Premier David Eby saying the province was asking Ottawa to amend the federal exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that allowed the project happen.
“What we’ve done is respond to community concerns. What we’ve done is is respond to what police have been asking for to deal with public drug use,” said Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth at the time.
“They expect their parks, their playgrounds, their streets to be safe areas. They shouldn’t have to be put up with open drug use.”
Premier Eby said the amendment was to give police “the tools they need to enforce the law any time someone is using drugs in an inappropriate location and compromising public safety.”
The amendment was granted in May. It did not recriminalize drug possession in a private residence, where someone is legally sheltering, or at overdose prevention sites.
