Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says he will scrap British Columbia’s newly implemented decriminalization policy for personal drug possession if he becomes prime minister..The Tory leader called BC’s drug policy an “abject failure" while speaking to reporters in Ottawa Wednesday..“Decriminalization has been in place in BC since about 2017, in reality. The results are in, the debate is over. It has been a disaster. An absolute abject failure,” said Poilievre..“You only need to take a walk down the streets of East Vancouver, where addicts lay face first on the pavement, where people are living permanently in tents and encampments.”.Poilievre highlighted a 300% increase in drug overdose deaths in BC since Trudeau took office, further stating the “Trudeau-NDP approach is on open display" in the city..“It is a complete disaster, it is hell on earth,” he said..Now the leading cause of unnatural death in the province, the overdose crisis in BC was declared a public health emergency in 2016..At least 2,272 British Columbians died as a result of toxic drugs in 2022, the second largest total ever in a calendar year according to the BC Coroners Service..As of Tuesday, the province decriminalized personal possession of various illicit drugs for three years..This means adults who are found in possession of a cumulative total of as much as 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA for personal use will no longer be arrested, charged, or have their stash confiscated if abiding by the exemption's conditions..Instead, the province says police will offer information on available health and social supports, as well as local treatment and recovery options..Possession of drugs in any amount will remain a criminal offence on K-12 school grounds and at licensed child care facilities. The exemption doesn’t apply to youth 17 and younger..Anyone caught selling or trafficking drugs in BC is still subject to criminal penalties..“We are going to reverse that policy and we’re going to replace it with recovery and treatment. That’s what works,” said Poilievre, reiterating the “debate is over.”.The province said Tuesday an analysis of postmortem toxicology results shows no indication "prescribed safe supply" is contributing to illicit drug deaths regionally or provincially.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says he will scrap British Columbia’s newly implemented decriminalization policy for personal drug possession if he becomes prime minister..The Tory leader called BC’s drug policy an “abject failure" while speaking to reporters in Ottawa Wednesday..“Decriminalization has been in place in BC since about 2017, in reality. The results are in, the debate is over. It has been a disaster. An absolute abject failure,” said Poilievre..“You only need to take a walk down the streets of East Vancouver, where addicts lay face first on the pavement, where people are living permanently in tents and encampments.”.Poilievre highlighted a 300% increase in drug overdose deaths in BC since Trudeau took office, further stating the “Trudeau-NDP approach is on open display" in the city..“It is a complete disaster, it is hell on earth,” he said..Now the leading cause of unnatural death in the province, the overdose crisis in BC was declared a public health emergency in 2016..At least 2,272 British Columbians died as a result of toxic drugs in 2022, the second largest total ever in a calendar year according to the BC Coroners Service..As of Tuesday, the province decriminalized personal possession of various illicit drugs for three years..This means adults who are found in possession of a cumulative total of as much as 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA for personal use will no longer be arrested, charged, or have their stash confiscated if abiding by the exemption's conditions..Instead, the province says police will offer information on available health and social supports, as well as local treatment and recovery options..Possession of drugs in any amount will remain a criminal offence on K-12 school grounds and at licensed child care facilities. The exemption doesn’t apply to youth 17 and younger..Anyone caught selling or trafficking drugs in BC is still subject to criminal penalties..“We are going to reverse that policy and we’re going to replace it with recovery and treatment. That’s what works,” said Poilievre, reiterating the “debate is over.”.The province said Tuesday an analysis of postmortem toxicology results shows no indication "prescribed safe supply" is contributing to illicit drug deaths regionally or provincially.
