BC should talk to Oregon before forging ahead with a feckless, inhumane plan to decriminalize possession of up to 2.5 grams of drugs including opioids, methamphetamines, and cocaine. .The same insane social experiment failed badly south of the border with mounting tragic consequences, Oregon District 3 State Representative Lily Morgan told the Western Standard. .“It’s becoming harder and harder to save lives. It’s wearing on our people to constantly see people dying in front of us,” said Morgan..“The motivation for somebody to get clean is gone.”.Sixteen months ago, with a 58% public support vote, Oregon decriminalized possession of up to two grams of illicit drugs — including fentanyl — by amending the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act. .Oregon since descended into an abyss of skyrocketing violent and property crimes committed to feed drug habits..Filthy streets are now open drug markets. .There are 41% more overdose deaths statewide, with 120% in some counties..The state has a 700% explosion in addictions. One in five adults are hooked on drugs..Crimes swirling around the drug trade include “kidnappings, violent assaults, and murders” with bodies being tossed out of cars into parking lots..Decriminalization coupled with defunding of the police and subsequent rioting, looting and burning turned downtown Portland into “a ghost town.” Business owners boarded up and fled..“Our area was invaded by drug-trafficking organizations who intimidate and harass neighbors. They victimize their workers, make them live in unsanitary conditions, don’t pay them. It’s literally slave labour,” said Morgan who noted cannabis-related crimes are also problematic..More addicts mean more children neglected, abused, hungry, abandoned, and hundreds more apprehended — some infants and toddlers with heroin and meth in their systems..“Per capita we have a high number of children in foster care,” said Morgan..Is the lenient law contributing to child abuse?.“I think it is. We don’t make decisions that are in the best interests of our kids. Unfortunately, we haven’t put our kids first.”.But it’s the “stigma” drug addicts face that federal Mental Health Minister Carolyn Bennett fretted about when she championed changes under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) to take effect January 2023 for three years in BC..Bennett figures not holding people accountable for hard drug possession will lead to fewer deaths. .Presto! No appearances before a judge and the “shocking number of lives lost to the overdose crisis” (2,236 last year) in BC will somehow stop..The theory dishonestly or naively peddled by Bennett and the BC government is that keeping addicts out of court will compel them to seek treatment..After all, Bennett “thoroughly reviewed” the whole thing..Well, so did Oregon’s Morgan, who worked in the justice system as a 911 dispatcher, a reserve sergeant with the sheriff’s office, and a parole and probation officer and supervisor before entering politics..She still volunteers to help addicts..“I work with people in real recovery helping people trying to gain recovery and they tell you ‘Jail saved my life.’ The threat of jail, the accountability of drug court saved their lives because without the incentive to get clean they weren’t doing it on their own.”.“The shame of substance abuse comes from ruining every relationship in your life … From neglecting to eat or take care of yourself. Neglecting to feed or take care of your children. The shame comes from wanting to be out of that misery and wanting to die. And yet the only thing that matters is to get that next high.”.Oregon deemed possession of hard drugs punishable by a $100 fine, to be dismissed if the offender called a help hotline. Less than one per cent of thousands who received citations have entered treatment..Meanwhile, the use of Narcan by police and first responders to neutralize overdoses tripled in some counties..“It’s not uncommon to have people be back more than once needing Narcan.”.Morgan isn’t a fan of safe injection drug sites..“Canada was the first place I ever heard somebody reference ‘Give them the needles, give them the drugs so they don’t have to go to jail for it.’ What is that person’s hope in life? Are they able to work? Are they able to provide for their families? How is that helping that person?”.“If you have somebody that’s a diabetic, you don’t feed them candy every day. Do you stand by with insulin just in case? Do you keep giving them candy to keep their blood sugar out of control because it’s their right to live in that disease, and you’re going to make sure they have access to all the sugar they want?” .In Oregon, promises of pouring big dollars into treatment services haven’t materialized. The State Legislature committed $256 million last year. Only $11 million has been distributed.. “Their biggest concern is making sure that the recipients of the money would be equitable focusing on racial disparities. Unfortunately, it was not focused on everybody getting help. They’ve held up money saying it must go to racial minorities. In the meantime, you have people who are overdosing,” said Morgan..Oregon State Police attribute much of the increase in deaths and overdoses to fentanyl carted across the Mexican border..In 2020 they confiscated 27,000 dosage units off Oregon highways alone. That jumped to 482,000 units in 2021..Just in Texas, almost three million lethal doses of fentanyl have been seized since March 2021. So much more is getting through, into other states, and up to Canada. .“The other impact of decriminalizing is having the access to fentanyl increased at such an extreme rate that communities cannot counter the impact.”.“In the criminal justice system, when people who bring the drugs across the border are asked why, they say they’re at war with us, they have to destroy us and know this will kill our people.”.“The intent of bringing fentanyl into the US and Canada is for people to die. In return we are limiting access and incentive for people to get help.”.Canada’s street drugs are tainted with powerful and deadly opioids like fentanyl leading to thousands of overdoses and deaths..To his credit, Premier Jason Kenney took a tough stand for Albertans and blasted BC’s plan supported by the Liberals and NDP..No one bothered to consult neighboring Alberta, despite the severe impact the province will suffer..“Alberta’s government will never allow our communities to become sanctuaries for cartels and drug traffickers. This action will likely result in a dramatic increase in drug use, violence, trafficking, and addiction – something that health systems are already overburdened with,” said Kenney in a statement..Any doubts about that? Talk to Oregon.
