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Attempts to re-criminalize drugs in B.C. have been hampered by the Canadian courts. According to the BBC—and sadly, this is not a joke—even the meager move to re-criminalize drugs in school playgrounds was struck down last week because the B.C. Supreme Court ruled “it would cause irreparable harm to people who use drugs.”
The article asks if decriminalisation has been a success or failure. Considering Vancouver had a record number of overdose deaths last year, it's pretty clear it has not been a success. People were told decriminalizing drugs would reduce deaths.
The article asks if decriminalisation has been a success or failure. Considering Vancouver had a record number of overdose deaths last year, it's pretty clear it has not been a success. People were told decriminalizing drugs would reduce deaths.
Many say contaminated fentanyl is the cause. Decriminalization in BC is a very new thing. It means users aren't charged for every little bit of heroin etc they might be carrying like there used to be which we know for a fact wasn’t working either.
The so-called War on Drugs in the States, the idea of which filtered into Canada as American ideas tend to do, was also a failure. All it did was over-fill prisons with addicts. How is that a solution?
Addiction is not one-size fits all. Some people become addicted through legitimate prescriptions taken for legitimate reasons in the days when doctors prescribed drugs willy-nilly.
The drug that causes the most harm is alcohol but you hardly ever hear about that because TPTB don't want to give up their wines and scotches and think of themselves as potential addicts.
Prohibition in the States didn't help at all.
My opinion is that people have always and will always seek to self medicate from life's stressors by using something to soften the edges. Some get addicted and some don't.
I think the risk of addiction starts as a young person when you may be trying to look cool with your friends. Add in ruthless illegal drug dealers cutting drugs with poison and you get deaths.
Add into the mix the breakdown of the family unit and the lack of purpose and you have a recipe for disaster. This is my opinion but I also believe the lack of a belief in a higher power and hence feeling like your life is not special, it has no particular meaning, is not created in the image of God is a huge factor in drug use. Society is basically saying life has no purpose.
Many say contaminated fentanyl is the cause. Decriminalization in BC is a very new thing. It means users aren't charged for every little bit of heroin etc they might be carrying like there used to be which we know for a fact wasn’t working either.
Fentanyl it's self is a very deadly drug. It is not exactly new though, its been around a while. What ever the case maybe the fact remains, deaths are up. I am not against decriminalization but I don't see it working the way things are going now and with the lax attitude society has towards drugs now. The truth of the matter is, most drug addicts were getting arrested for breaking the law to feed their habit, not for simply carrying small amounts of heroin, crack etc. People can deny this all they want but drug addiction leads to more crime. Theft, fraud, assualts, prostitution etc. Anyone that denies this is simply out of touch with reality.
I also think we should be very harsh with drug dealers, they are the scum of the earth. Few criminals are as evil, parasitic and cold hearted. They destroy lives, families, communities etc etc. I personally believe people selling heroin, crack, fenantyl, meth etc etc should get a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Quote:
The so-called War on Drugs in the States, the idea of which filtered into Canada as American ideas tend to do, was also a failure. All it did was over-fill prisons with addicts. How is that a solution?
Addiction is not one-size fits all. Some people become addicted through legitimate prescriptions taken for legitimate reasons in the days when doctors prescribed drugs willy-nilly.
I agree, addiction is not a one size fits all solution.
Quote:
The drug that causes the most harm is alcohol but you hardly ever hear about that because TPTB don't want to give up their wines and scotches and think of themselves as potential addicts.
utProhibition in the States didn't help at all.
My opinion is that people have always and will always seek to self medicate from life's stressors by using something to soften the edges. Some get addicted and some don't.
We all have stress and traumas in our lives. Dissmissing drug use as simply "self medicating" is not doing anyone any good.
Quote:
I think the risk of addiction starts as a young person when you may be trying to look cool with your friends. Add in ruthless illegal drug dealers cutting drugs with poison and you get deaths.
Add into the mix the breakdown of the family unit and the lack of purpose and you have a recipe for disaster. This is my opinion but I also believe the lack of a belief in a higher power and hence feeling like your life is not special, it has no particular meaning, is not created in the image of God is a huge factor in drug use. Society is basically saying life has no purpose.
It's not nearly as simple as decriminalization.
I agree entirely with your last few comments here.
This whole thing, the way it is presented, even by the BBC who seems to be misinformed, is a sham. BC has no more authority to decriminalize drugs than any of the provinces, or indeed, us individuals, do.
Why? Illicit drugs are a federal responsibility: Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, S.C. 1996, c. 19.
BC can choose to look the other way, or ignore, or just not see it, but BC does not have the authority to decriminalize drugs. That is ultra vires British Columbia's provincial power. The only body that can decriminalize drugs is Parliament. And it sounds like Parliament is not going to. So, BC's "decriminalization of drugs" efforts are something BC cannot do, and Parliament is cracking down on BC's efforts to do something that it cannot. As cited above.
Why? Things doing with drugs and controlled substances are federal responsibility. Not BC's, not Ontario's, not Alberta's. Federal, as in "all of Canada." BC cannot opt out.
Let's stop pretending that provinces have any authority in this matter, and realize that any drug legislation is only passed by Parliament, such drug legislation controls the provinces, and is not in any way, controlled by a province.
Let's stop thinking that "Ottawa is controlling BC in drug legislation." Yes Ottawa is. Because according to our constitution, that's what Ottawa's job is!
Last edited by ChevySpoons; 04-08-2024 at 02:29 AM..
This whole thing, the way it is presented, even by the BBC who seems to be misinformed, is a sham. BC has no more authority to decriminalize drugs than any of the provinces, or indeed, us individuals, do.
Why? Illicit drugs are a federal responsibility: Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, S.C. 1996, c. 19.
BC can choose to look the other way, or ignore, or just not see it, but BC does not have the authority to decriminalize drugs. That is ultra vires British Columbia's provincial power. The only body that can decriminalize drugs is Parliament. And it sounds like Parliament is not going to. So, BC's "decriminalization of drugs" efforts are something BC cannot do, and Parliament is cracking down on BC's efforts to do something that it cannot. As cited above.
Why? Things doing with drugs and controlled substances are federal responsibility. Not BC's, not Ontario's, not Alberta's. Federal, as in "all of Canada." BC cannot opt out.
Let's stop pretending that provinces have any authority in this matter, and realize that any drug legislation is only passed by Parliament, such drug legislation controls the provinces, and is not in any way, controlled by a province.
Let's stop thinking that "Ottawa is controlling BC in drug legislation." Yes Ottawa is. Because according to our constitution, that's what Ottawa's job is!
You are correct that decriminalization is federal jurisdiction. It is unfortunate that this journalist cut corners with legal terminology and authorities because I think the overall assessment of the facts on the ground is still accurate.
So yes the federal Parliament is the only body that has the authority to decriminalize but the BC government just like any province has the de facto authority to choose not to enforce stuff that is still criminalized.
This is effectively what they have been doing, or at least flip flopping between doing and not doing.
Even the RCMP which is a federal police and serves under contract as the provincial and municipal police in much of BC, does what the BC government wants it to do in terms of enforcement.
Also, while the federal government is not making any moves towards decriminalization of anything stronger than cannabis, it still has a soft on drugs philosophy similar to how many BC governments have been.
So yes the federal Parliament is the only body that has the authority to decriminalize but the BC government just like any province has the de facto authority to choose not to enforce stuff that is still criminalized.
This is effectively what they have been doing, or at least flip flopping between doing and not doing.
.
Exactly. It is BC that is not chosing not to enforce the rules.
Last edited by Luisito80; 04-08-2024 at 07:54 AM..
B.C. hospital memo raises safety concerns over patients' drug use
A leaked memo from a hospital in the Northern Health region advising nurses not to impede patients using illicit drugs raised a firestorm in the B.C. Legislature on Wednesday.
The memo, sent out to staff at the G.R. Baker Hospital in Quesnel, B.C., last July, asks them not to search through patients' personal belongings and take away substances. It also tells staff not to restrict visitors if they suspect they are dropping off illicit substances, and also not to confiscate weapons if they are found.
It came a few months after the possession of small amounts of certain drugs were decriminalized in the province under a three-year pilot project.
This is another example of cultural contagion, and in many cases authorities are doing it regardless of whether higher levels of authority are promoting it or not.
Just as an example, neither Ontario nor Quebec have particularly "woke" governments, and yet all sorts of more extreme things are happening in public institutions in both provinces. Less so in Quebec I'd say, but it's still sometimes surprising the things I hear.
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