Canada to debate decriminalization of all drugs

Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) is proposing a federal bill aimed at decriminalize drug possession nationwide. The private member's bill, the Bill C-216, will be discussed in the spring.

«It’s time to truly end the failed war on drugs,» Gord Johns, the New Democratic Party MP who introduced the bill, told Filter. He hopes that his fellow lawmakers across the political spectrum will take action to improve the health of Canadians, rather than trying to win votes. «This is a health issue, and I’m calling on all members of Parliament to do the right thing.».

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh publicly supported the motion.

A three-part bill

The bill consists of three parts. The first is the simple decriminalization of drug possession. Gord Johns argues that decades of criminalization, the increased availability of extremely potent drugs, and the lack of access to harm reduction services are fueling overdose deaths.

Between January 2016 and June 2021, 24,626 «apparent deaths due to opioid toxicity» were recorded in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. Between April and June of last year, there were 1,720 such deaths—an average of 19 per day. «Decriminalization is a key component of a smart, effective, and scientifically proven strategy to combat the overdose epidemic,» said Gord Johns.

The bill also provides for the expungement of criminal records for possession charges, removing some of the barriers that hinder a return to employment or housing.

The third part concerns substance regulation. It would require the creation of a «national strategy aimed at addressing the harm caused by problematic substance use by promoting a comprehensive public health approach,» according to the bill.

Its functions include ensuring easy access to a safe supply, reducing the stigma associated with substance use through various programs, and implementing prevention programs that address the factors—social and economic, among others—that lead to problematic drug use.

A national approach would be more equitable than the current situation, said Brittany Graham, executive director of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (SOLD) to Filter. «It also makes things much simpler when the same rule applies across the country.».

According to Brittany Graham, the current bill has several shortcomings, including the lack of a national possession threshold for each drug, the definition of what constitutes drug trafficking, given that some users need to sell small amounts of drugs to make ends meet, and the failure to address the issue of adulterated substances unless they are distributed through harm reduction programs.

During the last Canadian election, each of the country's major political parties acknowledged, at least tacitly, that Prosecuting people for possession wasn't the right approach. However, this does not necessarily mean the bill will be successful.