What you need to know about the decriminalization of possessing illicit drugs in B.C.
CBC
Starting Tuesday, it is no longer a criminal offence to possess small amounts of certain illicit drugs in B.C., for people age 18 or above.
It's part of a three-year pilot by the federal government, which granted B.C. an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) on May 31, 2022.
While advocates for drug users say decriminalization alone won't stop thousands of people dying from a tainted drug supply, others say it is a step in the right direction when it comes to how drug users are treated.
Here's what you need to know about B.C.'s drug decriminalization pilot.
Under the exemption, up to 2.5 grams of the following four drug types can be legally possessed:
Fentanyl and its analogues were detected in nearly 86 per cent of drug toxicity deaths from 2019 until 2022, according to the latest report from the B.C. Coroners Service.
The exemption pilot is set to last for three years until Jan. 31, 2026 unless it is revoked or replaced before then.
A Health Canada spokesperson said the federal government will monitor the pilot throughout its duration to gauge its effectiveness.
No. Anyone caught selling drugs or trafficking them will still face criminal penalties in B.C.
Trafficking illegal drugs, or possessing them for the sake of trafficking (not for personal use), could land a person in prison.
Possessing illegal drugs at schools, child care facilities and airports remains illegal.
Multiple municipalities, including Vancouver, have bylaws that prohibit drug use at city facilities and private areas like malls or cafes.
"However, adults removed from private establishments would not be subject to federal criminal charges for their personal possession of up to 2.5 grams of the illegal drugs listed in the exemption," the B.C. ministry of mental health and addictions said.
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