With B.C. on track to count 2022 as 91裸聊视频減ossibly the worst year ever91裸聊视频� for toxic-drug deaths, the start of a three-year trial that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of illicit drugs is just around the corner.

Health Canada last May announced that as of Jan. 31, 2023, British Columbians aged 18 and older will be allowed to carry up to 2.5 grams of street drugs 91裸聊视频� including cocaine and fentanyl 91裸聊视频� without fear of penalty or seizure, provided the drugs are for personal use.

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Semiahmoo Peninsula locals who have seen the effects of such drugs firsthand have expressed mixed feelings on the exemption, describing it as everything from a step in a 91裸聊视频渃ompassionate direction,91裸聊视频� to a move that91裸聊视频檚 unlikely to have any significant impact on the opioid-crisis death toll.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not that I91裸聊视频檓 not in favour,91裸聊视频� Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South and BC Liberal Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, said Monday (Jan. 9). 91裸聊视频淚 think that with the record number of people that are losing their life to drug toxicity, we have to take a bold action.

91裸聊视频淏ut where we stand as an Opposition, is it cannot be the only pillar of our system.

91裸聊视频淲e need to make sure that as we do this pilot of decriminalization, that we are also providing pathways to recovery for people, and sufficient and appropriate mental-health services so that people have a chance not just to be kept in illness, but to actually make a recovery.

91裸聊视频淚 just think that the pace at which we have sort of jettisoned towards decriminalization is far outpacing this government, how they91裸聊视频檝e been providing for those services. Lots of announcements, but very little in terms of treatment for people.91裸聊视频�

In announcing the move, government officials described the exemption as 91裸聊视频渁 critical step91裸聊视频� that will 91裸聊视频渞educe stigma and harm and provide another tool for British Columbia to end the overdose crisis,91裸聊视频� by removing barriers that prevent people from accessing services and treatment.

The threshold amount is just over half of the 4.5-gram limit that had been requested by the province, and it comes with caveats, including that B.C. improve health and social systems to support the implementation.

George Passmore, director of personal and family counselling and support for Sources Community Resource Centres, described the 91裸聊视频淥K91裸聊视频� given as a step in a 91裸聊视频渃ompassionate direction91裸聊视频� towards viewing those who use such substances as people 91裸聊视频渙f dignity, and worthy of community, not scorn and marginalization.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭hat can eventually result in less societal judgment, condemnation and social distancing, which can save pain and lives,91裸聊视频� Passmore said.

With the exemption looming, Passmore said he is also hopeful the new rules will generate 91裸聊视频渕ore nuanced91裸聊视频� conversations between parents and kids about substances; boost understanding and awareness of benefits versus harms, rather than simply stating 91裸聊视频渙h, it91裸聊视频檚 illegal,91裸聊视频� or 91裸聊视频渋t91裸聊视频檚 bad.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 glad that now91裸聊视频� we can shift the conversations more towards harm reduction, understanding healthy relationships with drug use.91裸聊视频�

However, the lower limit could also have an unintended consequence, he said 91裸聊视频� that of encouraging manufacturers to boost the potency of their drugs, 91裸聊视频渟o people can get a greater effect with a lesser amount.91裸聊视频�

According to statistics released by the BC Coroners Service last fall, illicit-drug toxicity deaths have doubled to 42 per 100,000 people since the opioid crisis was declared a public-health emergency in April 2016.

At least 10,000 people in B.C. have died due to toxic-drug overdoses since that declaration; 1,827 of them in the first 10 months of 2022. In October alone, at least 179 lives were lost to the poisoned supply.

Cole Izsak, a South Surrey resident and founder of Back on Track Recovery House, does not believe the numbers will improve with decriminalization. He pointed to abstinence-based recovery and treatment 91裸聊视频� which is the model his facility follows 91裸聊视频� as a more effective direction than the one chosen.

91裸聊视频淭o use our government91裸聊视频檚 resources to perpetuate addiction, it doesn91裸聊视频檛 feel right to me,91裸聊视频� Izsak said.

91裸聊视频淚t doesn91裸聊视频檛 feel compassionate. It91裸聊视频檚 disguised as compassion.91裸聊视频�

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Izsak said the Portuguese model of decriminalization 91裸聊视频� in which drug use and possession of small quantities are dealt with through an administrative process 91裸聊视频� is one B.C. could learn from. It has been 91裸聊视频渧ery effective over the past decade in decriminalizing simple possession,91裸聊视频� he said.

Since 2001, Portugal has been referring those caught using or possessing small amounts of illicit drugs to panels of legal, health and social-work experts tasked with helping them tackle issues related to their drug use.

The tactic has been credited with decreasing the number of users diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B and C; increasing the number of users receiving voluntary drug treatment; and, reducing drug-user incarceration numbers. As well, the country91裸聊视频檚 overdose-death numbers are among the lowest in the European Union, according to a report in the series.

At Izsak91裸聊视频檚 facility, the focus is 91裸聊视频渢eaching (residents) how to live and showing them that clarity of mind and body is the right thing to do, even if getting high is fun sometimes.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚n this day and age, (using drugs comes at) too great a cost,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 Russian roulette, because there91裸聊视频檚 fentanyl in so much.91裸聊视频�

Sturko 91裸聊视频� who left the Surrey RCMP to pursue politics specifically because of the opioid crisis 91裸聊视频� noted decriminalization is not exactly new in B.C. There has been a form of it 91裸聊视频渇or quite some time,91裸聊视频� she said, explaining that B.C. Prosecution Service 91裸聊视频渧ery rarely91裸聊视频� follows through on simple possession charges.

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She plans to meet with community advocates and people with lived experience, as well as her colleagues in other ministries in an effort to have a meaningful impact on the opioid crisis.

Passmore, noting the opioid crisis is the number 1 cause of deaths in B.C., said an 91裸聊视频渦pstream91裸聊视频� approach is key, and the new rules do have the potential to effect some change.

91裸聊视频淚f anything, I hope that the decriminalization can really result in a shift in focus towards caring about people who are using substances in a variety of ways, and think about how do we connect with folks and support their well-being, without necessarily requiring them to stop using.91裸聊视频�