Public drug use recriminalized in British Columbia

On the request of the provincial government, Canada's federal government has exempted public spaces from British Columbia's pilot drug decriminalization program. 

Personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs in British Columbia | Health Canada | Backgrounder:

May 07, 2024 - "On January 31, 2023, a subsection 56(1) exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) related to personal possession of certain controlled substances came into effect in the province of British Columbia (BC). After a thorough assessment, this exemption was granted by the federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health to support the province in implementing its comprehensive public health response to the overdose crisis. The pilot project was planned to be in effect until January 31, 2026.

"Under the original exemption, adults aged 18 years of age and older in BC could not be arrested or charged for the possession of a cumulative amount of up to 2.5 grams of opioids (e.g. heroin, morphine, and fentanyl), cocaine (including crack and powder cocaine), methamphetamine (meth), or MDMA (ecstasy) for personal use. Exceptions to this exemption were included so that it did not apply in places where the provincial and federal government determined that personal possession would create undue public safety concerns (e.g. airports, daycares, schools, etc.).

"As the first exemption of its kind in Canada, ongoing monitoring was conducted to inform whether it contributed to its objectives, which included reducing stigma and substance use harms and increasing access to health and social services for people who use drugs in BC.

"In September 2023, at the request of British Columbia, the original exemption was amended to prohibit possession in additional areas designed primarily for youth including, within 15 metres of a public outdoor playground, spray pool or wading pool, or skate park. This came into effect on September 18, 2023.

"Since the exemption came into effect in January 2023, a number of BC municipalities, law enforcement officials, health sector workers, and community members have raised concerns about increasing public drug use and that law enforcement does not have tools to address public drug use. On April 26, 2024, BC submitted an amendment request to address these concerns. As of May 7, 2024, we are granting BC’s request to prohibit possession of controlled substances in public spaces. 

"Exemptions will continue to apply in private residences, healthcare clinics as designated by the province of BC, places where people are lawfully sheltering, and overdose prevention and drug checking sites.

"This exemption is an additional tool that the federal government is providing to BC to help support a balanced public health and public safety approach to addressing the overdose crisis and substance use. The Government of Canada continues to take a comprehensive approach to addressing substance use harms and the overdose crisis."

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2024/05/personal-possession-of-small-amounts-of-certain-illegal-drugs-in-british-columbia.html

BC to recriminalize hard drug use in public spaces | Global News | May 7, 2024:

Last week was wacko in Canada's Parliament

The Trudeau Liberals’ circus act is burying serious issues | Niagara Independent | Chris George:

May 3, 2024 - "Exchanges in Parliament’s main theatre, the House of Commons, devolved this week into a mayhem more suited for under a circus big top. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre engaged in a disrespectful partisan slugfest and the degradation was furthered by the clownish stumbling of the Speaker of the House. The Trudeau-Poilievre non sequitur argument and the ensuing sideshows throughout this week sadly reflect the deteriorated state of Canada’s democratic institution and its elected representatives....

"The climax of this tragi-comedy was during a heated exchange in Tuesday’s Question Period, when Speaker Greg Fergus expelled Poilievre for unparliamentary language. Most of the Tory caucus followed their leader out of the House.... Poilievre had asked Trudeau to explain why the federal government had yet to act on a B.C. government’s 'urgent' request to end the federal-provincial pilot program relating to hard drugs decriminalization. In response to this serious issue, Trudeau launched into a series of insults. He excitedly accused Poilievre of 'shameful, spineless leadership' and suggested he was sympathetic to white nationalist groups. (Over the weekend Trudeau had been making great noise in CBC News interviews and in Liberal fundraising appeals about Poilievre courting members of a group from Diagolon – an internet meme country). There was no attempt to address the issue raised by Poilievre....

"The Conservative leader countered the insults by rephrasing his lead question and calling Trudeau a 'wacko.. and the Liberals’ hard drugs policy 'wacko.' Fergus asked Poilievre to withdraw his adjective. Poilievre replaced 'wacko' with the word 'radical.' Fergus rejected this adjective and asked Poilievre to withdraw it. Poilievre replied with the word 'extremist.' Fergus rejected this and it was then that he directed Poilievre to leave the House of Commons. So, ended the centre ring circus act, with Trudeau smiling like a Cheshire Cat and Liberal MPs braying across the floor of the Commons. 

"On Wednesday, Fergus rejected formal calls from both the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois to resign due to his bias[ed], partisan actions. Bloc House leader Alain Therrien commented: 'Mr. Fergus has had difficulty maintaining peace in Parliament for a long time. We think the Speaker should leave. The recent events confirm that position.' Conservative MP Michael Cooper was more pointed in saying: 'He should resign, he’s a disgrace'.... The Liberals took to the airwaves and social media Tuesday and Wednesday to denounce Conservatives as 'conspiracy theorists' unfit to lead given their support for the people of Diagolon. In their excitement over Diagolon, there was also lip service paid in support of the beleaguered Speaker.  

"What was lost in this nonsensical episode was a reply to British Columbians about the nightmares they are currently coping with in their streets, playgrounds, and hospitals. In fact, while the Diagolon-wacko standoff has been unfolding, the Trudeau government and much of the legacy media have allowed many serious national issues to go unreported. Trudeau, his ministers, and their sponsored legacy media have been too preoccupied with Diagolon and slurring the Conservatives....   

"There are many concerns upstaged by Ottawa’s clown show. Consider these issues that demand answers if we were not all so entranced by Diagolon and whether Fergus will do the honourable thing and resign. Here: ArriveCan scandal, McKinsey sole-sourced contracts, details of the capital gains tax changes, Winnipeg lab security breaches, findings that suggest the Liberals knew and attempted to conceal facts about China’s influence in elections, and the escalation of the anti-Israel, pro-Humas demonstrations tolerated by the government and police on Canadian campuses, on city streets, and, most reprehensible, in known Jewish neighbourhoods. 

"And the dread and anguish of British Columbians deserves answers from this government. Last week B.C. Premier David Eby asked the federal government to halt the hard drugs pilot program that is currently in year one of three. It was expressed as an 'urgent' request to alleviate what has become an intolerable situation in B.C. communities – where drugged-up people lay incapacitated in streets, shoot up in kids’ playgrounds and school yards, and cause fear in hospital corridors. It is a crisis that is killing an average of seven people a day. 

"Trudeau continues to defend and promote the Liberal policy that has decriminalized possession of small amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, among other street drugs. Ya’ara Saks, the federal Addictions Minister is also avoiding the facts.... Why is there not a serious debate in Canada’s parliament about seven British Columbians dying daily as a result of drugs? How do Canadians get a response to this serious issue and the many others when they all seem to get lost in the hurley burley under the big top?" 

Read more: https://niagaraindependent.ca/the-trudeau-liberals-circus-act-is-burying-serious-issues/

Trudeau Still Attacks Diagolon | Beautiful Canada | May 2, 2024:

BC NDP ask Liberals to criminalize public drug use

British Columbia's NDP government is asking Canada's Liberal government to recriminalize public drug use in the province, after its own attempt was suspended by a judge pending a constitutional challenge.

BC looks for Feds to overturn parts of controversial drug decriminalization | Western Standard | Shaun Polczer:

April 26, 2024 - "[T]he BC government is throwing up its hands at what it says are barriers to restricting where and how narcotics can be openly used in public — including hospitals and public health facilities. Jennifer Whiteside, BC’s minister for mental health and addictions, is meeting with her federal counterpart Ya’ara Saks in Vancouver on Friday, where she is reportedly asking the Liberal government to review exemptions that allow users to smoke meth in hospital rooms, among others. She’ll also reportedly be asking Ottawa to support more supervised drug consumption sites and request[ing] additional resources.... 

"BC’s NDP government faces increasing pushback from municipalities over open drug use in their communities. On Thursday, the City of Kamloops wrote a letter to Premier David Eby calling for the end of the three-year decriminalization pilot.... 'We want the same rules as smokers and drinkers have that we can enforce. This is just one more tool that we need,' wrote deputy mayor Bill Sarai.... He was joined by the mayor of Fort St. John, Lilia Hansen, who also called for an end to the program....'We don't want to stigmatize anyone, but we have to think about our entire community and their safety,' she said. 'I do not believe that the decriminalization is working.'

"But the provincial government says its hands are tied with respect to the decriminalization pilot that began on January 31 2023 because it falls under the Criminal Code. An attempt to pass laws to restrict open drug use in places such as beaches and public parks last November was suspended pending a Charter of Rights challenge to the Supreme Court.

"Senior police officials testified before a House parliamentary committee last week that decriminalization went ahead without necessary steps to maintain public order. In recent weeks hospital workers have complained they are powerless to stop the use of dangerous drugs in washrooms and halls — even in a maternity unit — which they say is putting lives at risk."
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/bc/bc-looks-for-feds-to-overturn-parts-of-controversial-drug-decriminalization/54126?utm_source=website&utm_medium=related-stories

B.C. seeks ban on drug use in 'all public spaces' | CTV News | April 26, 2024:

Half of illegal street narcotics in BC from safe supply; cops powerless to stop drug use in hospitals | Western Standard | Shaun Polczer:

April 18, 2024 - "Testifying before a House of Commons Health Committee in Ottawa, ... Fiona Wilson, president of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police and deputy chief of the Vancouver Police Department, told the committee on Tuesday [that] police were essentially powerless to stop drug use in hospitals because they aren’t exempted from public spaces like schools, airports and some types of playgrounds. 'When that happens, if it’s not in a place that’s an exception to the exemption, there is nothing police can do,” she said.... 

"The issue came to a head after nurses union members complained they are being exposed to fentanyl, crack and other illegal drugs from users who openly smoke them in their hospital rooms. Security staff complain that they’re not trained to deal with the problem, which is exacerbated by the fact many addicts also have weapons when they’re admitted. 

"Wilson said police warned government officials before the policy was enacted in January, 2023. 'These are all things that we raised prior to decriminalization taking effect, that we don’t feel were adequately addressed, however we strongly support the notion of not trying to arrest ourselves out of this crisis. That is not going to save lives.'

"The BC government is trying to expand areas where open drug use is not permitted but is facing a court challenge from so-called ‘harm reduction’ advocates who argue it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It’s essentially a federal issue because Ottawa had to allow the decriminalization from the Criminal Code at the request of a BC government that now finds its hands tied in the face of growing public opposition — and alarm — toward the policy."
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/bc/half-of-illegal-street-narcotics-in-bc-from-safe-supply-cops-powerless-to-stop-drug-use-in-hospitals/53918

Toronto gov't wants drugs decriminalized in city

The Toronto government, supported by the police and board of health, has asked the federal government to decriminalize drug possession for personal use in the city. But the Ontario premier vows to fight it. 

Could decriminalization of drugs combat the opioid crisis? | Sudbury.com | Jenny Lamothe:

July 6, 2023 - "Toronto Public Health, with the support of the Toronto Police Service, has recently re-applied to Health Canada to decriminalize personal use drugs within the city limits as part of their effort to tackle the opioid crisis.... Initially submitted in January 2022, the now updated application from Ontario’s capital city asks Health Canada to go beyond the exemption it recently granted to British Columbia. 

"Effective Jan. 31, Health Canada granted B.C. a three-year decriminalization exemption covering adults and certain drugs — namely, opioids, crack and powder cocaine, meth and MDMA — and decriminalizes possession up to a combined 2.5 grams of otherwise illegal drugs. The Toronto Model does not outline a proposed threshold, nor does it have limitations on the types of substances one can possess. The city is asking for all drugs to be decriminalized for personal use and for the exemption to cover adults and young people. It would also extend across the city, except for schools, child-care facilities and airports.

"Toronto Public Health’s stated goal is to 'reduce the mental, physical and social harms associated with criminalizing people for possessing drugs for their personal use.' In the application itself, Toronto Police Service states their data shows that of 617 charges for possession in 2021, in 36 of these cases, possession was the only charge....

"In many countries across the world decriminalization has proven effective. Czechia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland are among a  handful of countries that have decriminalized drug use and possession for personal use and have invested in harm reduction programmes.

"According to a New York Times analysis, the number of heroin users in Portugal has dropped from 100,000 to just 25,000 today. The number of HIV diagnoses caused by injection drug use has plummeted by more than 90 per cent. Over the last 20 years, levels of drug use in Portugal are consistently under the European average, particularly with young people between the ages of 15-34.... A 2015 study found that since Portugal approved this new national strategy, the per capita social cost of substance use decased by 18 per cent."
Read more: https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/could-decriminalization-of-drugs-combat-the-opioid-crisis-7241636

Toronto's Push to Decriminalize Drugs | The Agenda | TVO Today | January 20, 2022:

“Craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” Ford slams Toronto’s plan to decriminalize hard drugs | True North - Elie Cantin-Nantel:

July 17, 2023 - "Ontario Premier Doug Ford is slamming the City of Toronto’s plan to decriminalize hard drugs, including fentanyl and meth for kids and adults.... In a Friday radio interview with Global AM 640’s Alex Pierson, Ford said Toronto’s sweeping proposal is the 'craziest thing I’ve ever heard.'  'Go out to Vancouver, go out to San Francisco,' he added amid the two cities facing major drug issues. 

"'I will do everything I can to fight this,' said Ford. 'This goes up to the federal government. They cannot be following up with the request. It would be an absolute disaster for our city.'"

Read more: https://tnc.news/2023/07/17/ford-slams-torontos-decriminalization-drugs/

Toronto's Model of Decriminalizing Drugs for Personal Use | City of Toronto: 
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/94de-Torontos-Model-of-Decriminalizing-Drugs-for-Personal-use-March-22-2023-FINAL.pdf

BC company licensed to produce and sell cocaine

BC cannabis company approved to produce and sell cocaine | Western Standard - Reid Small:

Mar 1, 2023 - "A Lower Mainland Cannabis company says it has received approval from Health Canada to legally possess, produce, and sell cocaine. 

"Adastra Holdings Inc. in Langley received a Controlled Drug and Substances Dealer’s Licence in August last year, which — at the time — only allowed it to produce and distribute up to 1,000 grams of psilocybin and psilocin, psychoactive compounds found in various species of fungi. Now the company says its dealer’s licence has been expanded to include cocaine, allowing it to interact with up to 250 grams of the drug. This includes permission to import coca leaves to manufacture and synthesize cocaine.

“Harm reduction is a critically important and mainstream topic, and we are staying at the forefront of drug regulations across the board,' said Adastra CEO Michael Forbes. 'We proactively pursued the amendment to our dealer’s licence to include cocaine back in December 2022. We will evaluate how the commercialization of this substance fits in with our business model at Adastra in an effort to position ourselves to support the demand for a safe supply of cocaine'....

"British Columbians can carry up to 2.5 grams of opioids, meth, cocaine, and more without fear of criminal penalties due to an exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), which is in effect until Jan. 31, 2026 throughout the entire province. BC is the first Canadian province to receive an exemption under the CDSA."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/bc/bc-cannabis-company-approved-to-produce-and-sell-cocaine/article_4ab80ab8-b860-11ed-b326-039e68bf138d.html

Minor drug possession decriminalized in B.C.

Simple possession of up to 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamines have been decriminalized in British Columbia as a three-year pilot project. 

What you need to know about the decriminalization of possessing illicit drugs in B.C. | CBC News - Akshay Kulkarni:

January 30, 2023 - "Starting Tuesday, it is no longer a criminal offence to possess small amounts of certain illicit drugs in B.C. for people aged 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:

• Cocaine (crack and powder).
• Methamphetamine.
• MDMA.
• Opioids (including heroin, fentanyl and morphine).

"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....

"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."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/what-you-need-to-know-drugs-british-columbia-1.6727814

Voters legalize cannabis in 5 U.S. states

Every Single Marijuana And Drug Policy Ballot Measure Passing On Election Day Bolsters Federal Reform Push | Marijuana Moment - Kyle Jaeger: 

November 4, 2020 - " Marijuana and drug policy reform swept across the board in Tuesday’s elections, giving advocates a major boost as they push to end federal prohibition. Five more states legalized cannabis in some form and Oregon became the first state to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapy and also more broadly decriminalize drug possession. Meanwhile, voters in Washington, D.C. also approved a measure to decriminalize psychedelics in the nation’s capital....

• "Arizona [v]oters passed an initiative to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. This comes four years after voters in the state rejected a similar measure, signaling that support for the policy change continues to grow as the reform movement spreads. Under the new legalization law, adults will be able to possess up to an ounce of marijuana at a time and cultivate up to six plants for personal use.
• "Mississippi [a]ctivists overcame numerous obstacles both to qualify their now-passed medical cannabis legalization measure for the ballot.... The proposal will allow patients with debilitating medical issues to legally obtain marijuana after getting a doctor’s recommendation ... and patients would be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana per 14-day period.
• "Montana ... approved a measure to legalize marijuana for adult use. They also passed a separate constitutional amendment stipulating that only those 21 and older can participate in the market. The main statutory reform measure will establish a legal system of cannabis production and sales.
• "New Jersey ... voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to legalize recreational marijuana. The legislature will still have to pass enabling legislation to set up regulations for the program, but a top lawmaker recently said that a bill to accomplish that could be introduced as early as Thursday....
• "Oregon ... became the first in the nation to pass separate initiatives to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic purposes and decriminalize possession of all currently illicit drugs. Under the psilocybin measure, adults will be able to access the psychedelic in a medically supervised environment.... The decriminalization proposal will remove criminal penalties for low-level drug possession offenses. Instead, those caught possessing a controlled substance will be subject to a $100 fine or be required to complete a health assessment within 45 days.
• "South Dakota on Tuesday became the first state in the U.S. to go from strictly prohibitionist to legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana. The recreational measure, which is a constitutional amendment, will make it so people 21 and older will be able to possess and distribute up to one ounce of marijuana, and they will also be allowed to cultivate up to three cannabis plants. The medical cannabis initiative will make a statutory change to allow patients suffering from debilitating conditions to possess and purchase up to three ounces of marijuana from a licensed dispensary.
• "Washington, D.C. [v]oters approved a local initiative to decriminalize possession of a wide range of psychedelics, including psilocybin, ayahuasca and ibogaine.... Under the new law, possession and use of the psychedelics will be among the District’s lowest law enforcement priorities."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/every-single-marijuana-and-drug-policy-ballot-measure-passing-on-election-day-bolsters-federal-reform-push/

Liberal MP tables drug decriminalization bills

Liberal MP introduces bills to tackle opioid crisis through decriminalization, diversion | Halifax Chronicle Herald - Andrea Gunn:

March 9, 2020 - "According to federal government statistics, more than 14,000 Canadians have died from opioid overdose in the last four years. The situation is so dire, it has caused a stall in the increase in life expectancy for Canadians, according to Statistics Canada, and has even decreased the life expectancy in provinces that have been hit the hardest, such as Alberta and B.C.

"There is a growing body of evidence that one small change could save lives: the decriminalization of possession for personal use. The Global Commission on Drug Policy, the United Nations and the World Health Organization all support the treatment of drug use as a public health issue, not a criminal matter, and support the repeal of laws that criminalize drug use and possession of drugs for personal use.

"In a 2018 paper on the opioid crisis, Canadian Mental Health Association researchers looked to Portugal, which has decriminalized all substances for personal use, and found in the years following decriminalization improved health outcomes, including an increase in the number of people seeking treatment, a decrease in new cases of HIV and AIDS among drug users, and a reduction in the number of deaths associated with substance use.

"This growing body of evidence is why Toronto Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith has recently tabled two private member’s bills that look to change drug policy in Canada with the aim of saving lives. One bill, C-235, called the Ending the Stigma of Substance Use Act proposes to delete the simple possession offence in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Possession for the purpose of trafficking would remain illegal....

"Conservatives ... Deputy Opposition Whip John Brassard and Markham-Unionville MP Bob Saroya issued a statement this week warning that the Liberals are looking to 'legalize hard drugs like heroin, crack cocaine and crystal meth'.... 'During the last election campaign, the Liberals denied their secret plan to legalize hard drugs.... But now, a member of Trudeau’s minority Liberal government has introduced legislation to do just that.'

"Erskine-Smith takes issue with what he says is misinformation in his opponents’ attack — for starters, legalization and decriminalization are two different things, he says. But ... Erskine-Smith said he wouldn't expect full support within his own caucus on the matter. 'I’ve seen the prime minister say decriminalization is not where the Canadian public is,' he said...

"[S]o, Erskine-Smith [also] introduced Bill C-236, a compromise that focuses on evidence-based diversion measures for simple possession. The bill would allow police to proceed with criminal charges for drug possession only in situations where it’s insufficient to issue a warning or to refer an individual to a health-care provider.... This means the discretion of police officers to lay criminal charges would be reduced in many situations, such as for first-time recreational users or addicts, where a warning or referral would be best suited, but it does not affect how police deal with trafficking and production. It also still gives the police and prosecutors discretion to proceed with criminal charges, if necessary, in certain circumstances...

"One of the reasons he believes it can get support is the fact that diversion is already a significant part of Canada’s justice system.... Erskine-Smith said codifying these practices in law would provide structure and consistency for the criminal justice system and ensure these measures are being used whenever possible, and not applied unfairly to certain demographics. Moreover, he said, evidence shows that criminal sanctions are a primary stigma and barrier to people seeking treatment, and anything to reduce that would be a step in the right direction."

Read more: https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/canada/liberal-mp-introduces-bills-to-tackle-opioid-crisis-through-decriminalization-diversion-421258/

Santa Cruz decriminalizes natural psychedelics

Santa Cruz decriminalizes natural psychedelics – Santa Cruz Sentinel - Jessica A. Yorke:

January 29, 2020 - "Following in the footsteps of Oakland and Denver, Colorado, city leaders unanimously agreed Tuesday night to decriminalize adult use, possession and cultivation of entheogenic psychoactive plants and fungi. Known in one of its more popular forms as “magic mushrooms,” the substances remain illegal on a federal level, but city law enforcement has been directed to not spend resources on its criminal enforcement locally.

"The Santa Cruz City Council decision, first championed last year by Mayor Justin Cummings and Councilmembers Sandy Brown and Drew Glover, came after a vulnerable outpouring of community testimony, many sharing personal mental health struggles and efforts to successfully treat their symptoms....

"Denver voters passed a ballot measure in May [that] decriminalized psilocybin, and in June, the Oakland City Council passed a resolution decriminalizing entheogenic plants in general. Santa Cruz’s resolution this week, making it the third city in the U.S. to take such a step, declares city resources will not be expended on the investigation and arrest of persons 21 years of age and older 'solely for the personal use and personal possession of entheogenic plants and fungi listed on the Federal Schedule 1 list and that such activities should be considered among the lowest law enforcement priorities for the City of Santa Cruz.' Sale to, use and cultivation by those younger than 21, however, are not protected....

"Decriminalize Santa Cruz co-founder Sean Cutler, who, along with Julian Hodge, successfully lobbied for the change in city criminalization of psychedelics over an eight-month period, ... ... said after the meeting that the council vote represented forward movement.

“'The drug war needs to be ended in small deliberate steps,' Cutler said. 'We acknowledge that the U.S. government has spent 50 years indoctrinating Americans to believe that alcohol is good and everything else is bad, evil, for poor people. They have stigmatizing everything but alcohol and cigarettes'....

"Santa Cruz’s resolution cites the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s October 2018 decision to grant 'breakthrough therapy' designation for studies on psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression, and refers also to the use of the plants in traditional natured-based healing therapies."

Read more: https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/01/29/santa-cruz-decriminalizes-natural-psychedelics/
'via Blog this'

Lincoln Chafee backs drug decriminalization

Presidential Candidate Lincoln Chafee Backs Decriminalizing Drugs | Marijuana Moment- Kyle Jaeger with Justin Strekal:

January 8, 2020 - "Libertarian presidential candidate Lincoln Chafee said on Wednesday that the U.S. should move toward decriminalizing drugs and partner with countries that have implemented such policies to learn from their models. Chafee, who previously served as a senator and as Rhode Island’s governor, made the comments at a press conference to announce his candidacy, where he emphasized the need for the U.S. to end its involvement in military conflicts abroad and also end 'the failed war on drugs.'

“'Internationally, our policies of eradication, substitution and interdiction are an abject failure and have caused vastly more harm than good,' he said. 'At home our prisons are full of non-violent drug offenders. What we need is an active, open-minded discussion in this country that results in real criminal justice reform — and that includes decriminalization. The truth is there is another war that needs to end: the failed war on drugs.'

"Asked by Marijuana Moment whether his plan involves decriminalizing all drugs or only select substances, Chafee didn’t directly respond but said that it 'starts with a broad conversation and getting everybody involved — law enforcement, health officials — and that’s the process.'

“'There are other models around the world, whether it’s Portugal or Uruguay or Holland, and we can learn from them,' the candidate, who has at times been a Republican, a Democrat and an independent, added.

"Chafee’s drug policy platform has evolved over time. During his time as governor, he signed a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession and urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to reschedule cannabis under federal law. In the midst of his run for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, he called state-level legalization efforts 'interesting, positive experiments.'

"On broader drug decriminalization, the candidate shares the perspective of at least two Democratic contenders, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), both of whom have expressed support for the policy change."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/presidential-candidate-lincoln-chafee-backs-decriminalizing-drugs/
'via Blog this'

Greens vow to decriminalize drug possession

Green Party would decriminalize all drug possession if elected | CBC News:

September 21, 2019 - "The Green Party would decriminalize all drug possession if elected in October, leader Elizabeth May said Saturday on the campaign trail in Winnipeg. May said it's a necessary step to curb the opioid crisis in Canada.... May delivered the announcement in Manitoba, which is dealing with a major drug problem.

"As part of their effort to lower the rate of overdose deaths, the Greens are also committing to declaring a national health emergency, increasing mental health and addiction programs, and funding community organizations. The party said it would also ensure kits with Naloxone, a medication that blocks the effects of opioids, are widely available to treat overdoses.

"The issue is personal for the Green leader. Her sister-in-law, entertainer Margot Kidder, died in 2018 after battling drug addiction.

"Much of the Green Party's current support comes from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, and Vancouver Island, areas hit hard by the opioid problem, which led to the deaths of nearly 4,000 Canadians in 2017.... May said her party would consider lifting the decriminalization in the future if the drug crisis subsides....

"People on the front lines of the crisis have long said creating a supply of clean drugs and removing the criminal element would cut down on the number of overdose deaths.

"The Liberals have rejected calls to decriminalize all drugs, sticking instead with the legalization of marijuana — a 2015 campaign promise that was fulfilled last year. Neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives have released their 2019 platforms, including on what they would do in the area of illicit drugs and how to reduce death rates.

"The NDP's platform says the party would 'commit to working with all levels of government, experts and Canadians to end the criminalization and stigma of drug addiction.'"

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/elizabeth-may-election-decriminalize-drug-possession-1.5292817
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55% of Americans want to decriminalize all drugs

Majority Of Americans Support Decriminalizing All Drugs, Poll Finds | Marijuana Moment - Kyle Jaeger:

October 2, 2019 - "A majority of Americans are in favor of decriminalizing all drugs, according to a survey by the libertarian think tank Cato Institute.

"The poll, which involved phone interviews with 1,700 adults, showed that 55 percent of Americans want to treat drug offenses like civil infractions that don’t carry jail time, as opposed to the current criminalization model. While numerous surveys have found majority support for marijuana legalization, few if any polls have previously shown such strong support for a wholesale overhaul of American drug policy.

"Participants were asked to answer whether they’d 'favor or oppose re-categorizing drug offenses from felonies to civil offenses, meaning they would be treated like minor traffic violations rather than crimes.'

"Democrats were the most likely to support drug decriminalization, with 69 percent in favor and 30 percent opposed. A majority of those who identified as independent also embraced the policy, at 54 percent. Forty percent of Republicans said they want to lower criminal penalties for drug offenses, while 59 percent in the GOP said they opposed the proposed change.

"Interestingly, people who self-identify as libertarian were ten percentage points less likely to support decriminalization (59 percent) than Democrats, despite the hands-off policy fitting squarely within a libertarian ideology. Those most aligned with Cato Institute’s libertarian perspective are even less embracive of lifting criminal penalties for drug offenses than are respondents who identified themselves as very liberal, with 75 percent of that group in favor.

"There was majority support for drug decriminalization among men (55 percent) and women (53 percent) in the poll, which was conducted from March 5-8 and released last week. A majority of people from all age groups and racial backgrounds, except Latinos, back the policy.

"Drug decriminalization is gaining traction as more people view addiction as a public health, rather than criminal justice, issue.... Twenty U.S. prosecutors visited Portugal to learn about the country’s drug decriminalization model in July.... Also this summer, a Canadian House Committee recommended that the country decriminalize all drugs, and shortly thereafter a lawmaker filed a bill to do so, though it didn’t receive a vote."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/majority-of-americans-support-decriminalizing-all-drugs-poll-finds/
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Commons health committee: Decriminalize drugs

Key Canadian House Committee Recommends Decriminalizing All Drugs | Marijuana Moment - Kyle Jaeger:

June 14, 2019 - "A House of Commons committee in Canada is calling for the government to decriminalize the simple possession of all drugs in an effort to address addiction as a public health issue. In a report released this week, the Standing Committee on Health described what its members learned on a tour across the country to examine the impacts of rising rates of methamphetamine addiction....

"The panel recommended that the government “'work with provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities and law enforcement agencies to decriminalize the simple possession of small quantities of illicit substances.' Further, it advised the government to 'undertake an evaluation of Portugal’s approach to the decriminalization of simple possession of illicit substances and examine how it could be positively applied to Canada.'

"Conservative members of the committee disagreed with several recommendations, the report stated, including the expansion of safe injection sites where people can use illicit substances in a medically supervised environment. However, the opposition party did not outright oppose decriminalization; instead, its members argued that such a policy must have 'the fulsome measures taken in countries like Portugal.'

"Witnesses told the panel that those measures include 'a scaling up of treatment programs and the creation of diversions programs for offenders who commit crimes related to their substance use disorders,' the document notes.

"The report also details how committee members encountered a pervasive negative attitude toward people with addiction, including from health professionals. Removing criminal penalties associated with drug use would be one step toward destigmatizing the health conditions, they argued.

"Members of the country’s ruling Liberal Party passed a non-binding resolution in support of decriminalization in April. But while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on marijuana legalization, he shut the idea of broader drug decriminalization down, stating that 'on that particular issue, as I’ve said, it’s not part of our plans.' Nevertheless, some lawmakers from his party have expressed interest in reviving efforts to pursue decriminalization through legislation....

"Meanwhile, 20 U.S. prosecutors from major cities ... embarked on a trip to Portugal [in May] to see the impact of the country’s decriminalization policy firsthand."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/key-canadian-house-committee-recommends-decriminalizing-all-drugs/

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Oakland decriminalizes psychedelic mushrooms

Oakland becomes 2nd U.S. city to decriminalize magic mushrooms - Los Angeles Times - Coleen Shalby:

June 5, 2019 - ""Oakland [California] has voted to decriminalize entheogenic plants, including hallucinogenic magic mushrooms. It’s the second city in the United States to do so after Denver passed a similar measure last month for people 21 and older.

"The City Council passed the resolution in a unanimous vote Tuesday. Presented by City Councilman Noel Gallo, the measure sets a citywide policy ending the investigation and imposition of criminal penalties for use and possession of hallucinogens derived from plants or fungi, such as mushrooms, cactuses and the iboga plant.

“'Practices with Entheogenic Plants have long existed and have been considered to be sacred to human cultures and human interrelationships with nature for thousands of years, and continue to be enhanced and improved to this day by religious and spiritual leaders, practicing professionals, mentors, and healers throughout the world, many of whom have been forced underground,' the resolution stated, citing economic, environmental and social equity benefits to the city as well as possible health benefits in treating addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression....

"In May, Denver decriminalized the use of hallucinogenic magic mushrooms, becoming the first city in the U.S. to do so. Similar initiatives in Oregon, Iowa and elsewhere in the country are underway. California voters failed to get a similar measure on the ballot last year.

"Decriminalize Nature Oakland, the group behind the Oakland resolution, started discussions in the community in early 2019. In March, the group had its first public educational event, with support from seven community organizations....

“'Since DNO believes entheogens should not be commodified, there will be no sales of entheogenic plants and fungi, and we will work closely with local communities to share resources,' Gallo wrote in his agenda report to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. 'Concepts such as collectives could provide a space to have an experience, or "road people" who could visit those in hospice care or unable to leave their home.'

"The resolution applies only to plant-based hallucinogens. Synthetic drugs such as LSD and MDMA are not included. And magic mushrooms ... remain illegal under state and federal law."

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-oakland-magic-mushroom-legal-20190605-story.html
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Decriminalize Denver initiative wins by under 1%

Magic mushrooms decriminalization: Denver poised to become first in U.S. to loosen restrictions - Jon Murray, Denver Post:

May 8, 2019 - "Denver is poised to become the first city in the nation to effectively decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms. After closing an early vote deficit Tuesday night and early Wednesday, final unofficial results posted late in the afternoon showed a reversal of fortune — with Initiative 301 set to pass narrowly with 50.6 percent of the vote. The total stands at 89,320 votes in favor and 87,341 against, a margin of 1,979.

"The Denver Elections Division will continue accepting military and overseas ballots, but typically those numbers are small. Results will be certified May 16....

"Denver’s vote has attracted national attention. While efforts are afoot to get psilocybin-related measures on the ballot in Oregon and California in 2020, Denver hosted the first-ever U.S. popular vote on the matter, according to organizers. An earlier effort in California last year failed to qualify for the ballot.

"Though Initiative 301 attracted no organized opposition, critics of Colorado’s legalization of marijuana lamented the prospect of Denver blazing yet another trail they see as misguided and potentially harmful.... 'We’ll see what the final numbers are, but we’re a little stunned to see a 7,000-vote flip overnight on that,' said Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, who initially questioned on Twitter whether vote-tampering was involved....

"Supporters extolled emerging research showing potential health benefits with psychedelic mushrooms. The measure likely was put over the top by younger voters, who tend to cast their ballots closer to or on Election Day, even though all registered voters receive their ballots in the mail about three weeks earlier.

"Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted psilocybin 'breakthrough therapy' designation for its potential to help with treatment-resistant depression, a status that speeds up the development and review process for a medicine containing the substance....

"Some national media outlets as well as the Centennial Institute wrongly called I-301 a bust ... based on the early results. But the gap tightened throughout the night. By 1 a.m. Wednesday, when Denver Elections put out its last release before pausing counting for the night, the measure still was losing by 3.4 percentage points. It overcame that margin in the next — and final — round of results shortly after 4 p.m."

Read more: https://www.denverpost.com/2019/05/08/denver-psychedelic-magic-mushroom/
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UN organizations call for drug decriminalization

UN Organizations Unite In Call for International Drug Decriminalization | Marijuana Moment - Kyle Jaeger:

March 12, 2019 - "One of the most influential associations within the United Nations (UN) has endorsed the decriminalization of drug possession and use in a policy statement.

"The UN Chief Executives Board (CEB), which represents 31 UN agencies including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), adopted a position stipulating that member states should pursue science-based, health-oriented drug policies—namely decriminalization. Transform, a UK-based drug reform advocacy group, first reported this week on the policy statement, which was quietly released in January.

"The significance of the decriminalization endorsement is hard to overstate. Not only does it represent a substantial evolution on the part of certain UN agencies like the UNODC, which has historically supported the enforcement of punitive drug laws, but it also comes ahead of a major international meeting that will shape future UN drug policy.

"The UN CEB said the agencies ... will 'promote alternatives to conviction and punishment in appropriate cases, including the decriminalization of drug possession for personal use'....
Other policies the organization is embracing include investing in harm reduction programs, calling for universal health care coverage for substance use disorders, addressing prison overcrowding and eliminating the stigma and discrimination associated with drug use....

"As Transform explained, there have been a number of endorsements for decriminalization among certain UN agencies in recent years. The World Health Organization (WHO), The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women and UN Development Program have each embraced the policy, as has former UN Secretary General ban Ki Moon and the current secretary general, António Guterres.

"Guterres, as Portugal’s prime minister, oversaw the passage of a national law to decriminalize drugs, a policy he touted in a speech to UNCND last year.

"But the unanimous adoption of a pro-decriminalization stance by the UN CEB ... sends an unambiguous message to member states that they should treat drug use as a public health, rather than criminal justice, issue."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/un-organizations-unite-in-call-for-international-drug-decriminalization/
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Australian state MP wants drugs decriminalized

'Libertarian' MP calls for drug possession to be decriminalised - Adam Carey, The Age:

February 5, 2019 - "A new Victorian MP has used his first speech to call for drug possession to be decriminalised, arguing billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money is being wasted on failed policies of prohibition.

"Liberal Democrats upper house MP David Limbrick also paid tribute to his federal counterpart Senator David Leyonhjelm, who is being sued for defamation by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young for alleged 'slut-shaming' comments.

"A self-described libertarian, Mr Limbrick vowed he 'would never vote for a reduction in freedom or an increase in taxes'.

"One of two Liberal Democrats elected to the upper house in November, he received just 0.84 per cent of the vote in the south-east metro district but ... is one of 11 upper house crossbenchers the Andrews government will have to negotiate with to pass legislation.

"Limbrick said the 'war on drugs' had failed as badly as the US prohibition on alcohol in the 1920s. 'As a parent, I have had enough of hearing about young people dying from adulterated substances produced in backyard labs,' he said in Parliament....

"Limbrick said Victoria should follow the example of Portugal, where the possession of drugs was decriminalised in 2001. 'For a country that was once considered the heroin capital of Europe, drug-related HIV infections have fallen by 95 per cent and the drug mortality rate is now the lowest in Western Europe,' he said.

"The number of people charged for drug use and possession in Victoria has more than doubled in the past seven years..... 24,584 people were charged with drug possession last year, with cannabis possession the most common charge....

"Limbrick and northern Victorian MP Tim Quilty are the first Liberal Democrats to be voted into the Victorian Parliament."

Read more: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/libertarian-mp-calls-for-drug-possession-to-be-decriminalised-20190205-p50vtc.html
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Colombian president admits Drug War being lost

President Santos on the Drug War: "The Cure Has Been Worse Than the Disease" | Americas Quarterly - Juan Manuel Santos:

July 24, 2018 - "More than a century ago, in 1912, representatives from countries around the world signed the International Opium Convention.... Fifty years later, in 1961, the United Nations adopted the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.... In 1971, President Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs.

"After more than 106 years of head-on battle, we must now assess, with brutal honesty, where we stand.... An effective policy [toward] illicit drugs should have led to a reduction in trafficking and use. Yet data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report show that between 2006 and 2015, worldwide consumption by adults remained stable.

"But we are not only losing the war on the public health front. U.S. law enforcement agencies have arrested at least 1.4 million people for drug violations annually since 1997. But despite these high numbers, the availability of drugs on the streets has not diminished. Criminal organizations wreak violence and terror and represent a threat to individual security, national security and even global security. Also, drug-trafficking mafias consistently seek to corrupt state institutions and democracy.

"In the world, and particularly in Colombia, we invest billions of dollars a year chasing the dream of a drug-free world.... Colombian authorities have made more than 1 million drug seizures since 1993. While such figures demonstrate Colombia’s efforts to fight drug trafficking, they also show we’re on a stationary bicycle, spinning our wheels instead of moving forward.

"The policy prescription we have used for years, based mainly on punitive repression, has not solved the problem.... We need a global drug policy free of prejudice, based instead on empirical evidence and, above all, recognition that there will always be drug users. Drug use should be a matter of public health, not law enforcement.....

"Enforcement must focus on the criminal organizations that profit from drug trafficking and are the leading engines of violence.... As for the weakest links in the chain – small producers and drug users – we must offer solutions based on respect for human rights....

"The War on Drugs has taken too many lives: The cure has been worse than the disease. In Colombia, we have paid a very high price for it, perhaps the highest of any nation.... It is time to accept the reality that as long as there are drug users there will be drug suppliers – and that there will always be drug users....

"The solution is not so simple as advocating for the legalization of drugs.... It is time we talk about responsible government regulation, look for ways to cut off the drug mafias’ air supply, and tackle the problems of drug use with greater resources for prevention, care and harm reduction with regard to public health and the social fabric.

"This reflection must be global in scope in order to be effective.... It must reach beyond law enforcement and judicial authorities and involve experts in public health, economists and educators, among other disciplines. But above all, it must be an innovative, intelligent reflection based on facts."

Read more: http://www.americasquarterly.org/content/new-way-forward-drug-policy
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UK drug expert calls prohibition 'irrational'

Prof David Nutt: 'It's irrational to deny people access to LSD'- Radio New Zealand:

February 25, 2018 - "Outspoken UK drug expert David Nutt argues for regulated access to any drug less harmful than alcohol, including cannabis and Ecstasy. He is a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and author of Drugs: Without The Hot Air (2012).

"'My view is that any drug that is less harmful to the person that uses it than alcohol should be available as an alternative to alcohol - in a form where the harms are minimised,' he told Sunday Morning. 'That doesn’t mean a free market, that doesn’t mean opening up cannabis shops to compete with supermarkets selling beer. It means having access to cannabis, and ecstasy and other drugs perhaps, such as mephedrone and mushrooms - in pharmacies, possibly with electronic cards that allow you to have a certain amount per year.'"

"'Prof Nutt said in the UK the leading causes of drug deaths were tobacco, alcohol and heroin and opiates – all much higher than deaths from ecstasy (MDMA). 'Regulated access to drugs that are less harmful than alcohol will reduce the harms of alcohol, hopefully reduce the use of drugs more harmful than alcohol like crystal meth and P and heroin, and will actually overall reduce the societal damage from drugs.'

"Research on certain drugs and their potential therapeutic value was being denied, he said.... 'There have been two studies done ... and one of the most promising uses is in helping people come to terms with dying. Often under psychedelics people become "at one" with the universe. I'm very interested in that, in helping people deal with that terminal, difficult part of their lives. These two American studies showed that a single psilocybin treatment helped people become less anxious about dying.'

"He says opiates are not the be-all and end-all in terminal pain treatment. 'Under opiates you're constipated, you're confused, you have a dry mouth.... And using opiates to deal with chronic pain syndrome you can also get excessive use and people selling them on the streets so I think psychedelics offer an alternative.... If you allow people to take morphine for pain control, which kills in the UK nearly 2000 people a year, it's irrational to deny people access to LSD which kills nobody'....

"Prof Nutt was chair of the UK government’s advisory committee on the misuse of drugs until 2009, when he was sacked for suggesting alcohol was more dangerous than many illegal drugs.... Though alcohol was a leading cause of death under the age of 50 in the UK, politicians did not want to take on the alcohol industry, he says, so they make a show of being hard on drugs."

Read more: https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018633601/prof-david-nutt-it-s-irrational-to-deny-people-access-to-lsd
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Prohibition the real cause of the 'opioid crisis'

Stop Calling It an Opioid Crisis - Foundation for Economic Education - Working for a free and prosperous world - Jeffrey A. Singer, Cato Institute:

January 18, 2018 - "For nearly a decade, policymakers have bought into the misguided narrative that the opioid overdose crisis is a result of careless doctors and greedy pharmaceutical companies getting patients hooked on prescription opioids and condemning them to the nightmarish world of drug addiction. As a result, the Drug Enforcement Administration has ordered decreases in prescription opioid production. There was a 25 percent reduction in 2017 and a 20 percent reduction is ordered for 2018.

"States have set up monitoring programs that put doctors and patients under surveillance leading to a dramatic reduction in the prescription of opioids since 2010. In fact, high-dose prescribing fell 41 percent since 2010.... This focus on the supply and prescription of opioids makes many patients needlessly suffer in pain. Some, in desperation, turn to the illicit market to get relief, where they find heroin and heroin-laced fentanyl often cheaper and easier to get. Some others resort to suicide.

"Policymakers mistakenly focus on doctors treating their patients in pain. By intruding on the patient-doctor relationship, they impede physician judgment and increase patient suffering. But another unintended consequence is that, by reducing the amount of prescription opioids that can be diverted to the illicit market, they have driven nonmedical users to heroin and fentanyl, which are cheaper and easier to obtain on the street than prescription opioids, and much more dangerous....

"The overdose rate is not a product of doctors and patients abusing prescription opioids. It is a product of nonmedical users accessing the illicit market.

"The problem will not get better — it will probably only get worse — as long as we continue to call this an 'opioid crisis.' The title is too nonspecific. This is a crisis caused by drug prohibition, an unintended consequence of nonmedical drug users accessing the black market in drugs.

"Policymakers should stop harassing doctors and their patients and shift their focus to reforming overall drug policy. A good place to start would be to implement harm reduction measures, such as safe syringe programs, making Medication Assisted Treatments like methadone and suboxone more readily available, and making the opioid antidote naloxone available over-the-counter, so it can be easier for opioid users to obtain. Even better would be a sober reassessment of America’s longest war, the 'War on Drugs.'"

Read more: https://fee.org/articles/stop-calling-it-an-opioid-crisis/
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