With B.C. on track to count 2022 as 香蕉视频直播減ossibly the worst year ever香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播� including cocaine and fentanyl 香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渃ompassionate direction,香蕉视频直播� to a move that香蕉视频直播檚 unlikely to have any significant impact on the opioid-crisis death toll.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not that I香蕉视频直播檓 not in favour,香蕉视频直播� Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South and BC Liberal Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, said Monday (Jan. 9). 香蕉视频直播淚 think that with the record number of people that are losing their life to drug toxicity, we have to take a bold action.

香蕉视频直播淏ut where we stand as an Opposition, is it cannot be the only pillar of our system.

香蕉视频直播淲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.

香蕉视频直播淚 just think that the pace at which we have sort of jettisoned towards decriminalization is far outpacing this government, how they香蕉视频直播檝e been providing for those services. Lots of announcements, but very little in terms of treatment for people.香蕉视频直播�

In announcing the move, government officials described the exemption as 香蕉视频直播渁 critical step香蕉视频直播� that will 香蕉视频直播渞educe stigma and harm and provide another tool for British Columbia to end the overdose crisis,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淥K香蕉视频直播� given as a step in a 香蕉视频直播渃ompassionate direction香蕉视频直播� towards viewing those who use such substances as people 香蕉视频直播渙f dignity, and worthy of community, not scorn and marginalization.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭hat can eventually result in less societal judgment, condemnation and social distancing, which can save pain and lives,香蕉视频直播� Passmore said.

With the exemption looming, Passmore said he is also hopeful the new rules will generate 香蕉视频直播渕ore nuanced香蕉视频直播� conversations between parents and kids about substances; boost understanding and awareness of benefits versus harms, rather than simply stating 香蕉视频直播渙h, it香蕉视频直播檚 illegal,香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播渋t香蕉视频直播檚 bad.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 glad that now香蕉视频直播� we can shift the conversations more towards harm reduction, understanding healthy relationships with drug use.香蕉视频直播�

However, the lower limit could also have an unintended consequence, he said 香蕉视频直播� that of encouraging manufacturers to boost the potency of their drugs, 香蕉视频直播渟o people can get a greater effect with a lesser amount.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播� which is the model his facility follows 香蕉视频直播� as a more effective direction than the one chosen.

香蕉视频直播淭o use our government香蕉视频直播檚 resources to perpetuate addiction, it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 feel right to me,香蕉视频直播� Izsak said.

香蕉视频直播淚t doesn香蕉视频直播檛 feel compassionate. It香蕉视频直播檚 disguised as compassion.香蕉视频直播�

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Izsak said the Portuguese model of decriminalization 香蕉视频直播� in which drug use and possession of small quantities are dealt with through an administrative process 香蕉视频直播� is one B.C. could learn from. It has been 香蕉视频直播渧ery effective over the past decade in decriminalizing simple possession,香蕉视频直播� 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 country香蕉视频直播檚 overdose-death numbers are among the lowest in the European Union, according to a report in the series.

At Izsak香蕉视频直播檚 facility, the focus is 香蕉视频直播渢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.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚n this day and age, (using drugs comes at) too great a cost,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 Russian roulette, because there香蕉视频直播檚 fentanyl in so much.香蕉视频直播�

Sturko 香蕉视频直播� who left the Surrey RCMP to pursue politics specifically because of the opioid crisis 香蕉视频直播� noted decriminalization is not exactly new in B.C. There has been a form of it 香蕉视频直播渇or quite some time,香蕉视频直播� she said, explaining that B.C. Prosecution Service 香蕉视频直播渧ery rarely香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渦pstream香蕉视频直播� approach is key, and the new rules do have the potential to effect some change.

香蕉视频直播淚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.香蕉视频直播�