Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, has released the following statement on the status of the decriminalization pilot program:

“The toxic-drug crisis continues to take lives and cause tremendous pain across British Columbia. Families, communities, first responders and service providers are all feeling the impact. This is a deeply complex public-health emergency, and there is no single solution that can fix it. From the beginning, we have been determined to explore every option and use every tool available to save lives and support people who are struggling.

“In 2023, we launched a pilot program to decriminalize people who use drugs. We did this with the support of advocates, service providers, police and members of the legislative assembly. The intention was clear: to make it easier for people struggling with addiction to reach out for help without fear of being criminalized. Despite the hard work and good intentions behind the pilot, it has not delivered the results we hoped for. For that reason, we will not be asking the federal government to renew the exemption.

“This does not mean the work ends here. We remain focused on strengthening the approaches that are helping people get timely, appropriate care. Our priority is, and always has been, to make sure people can get help when and where they need it. We continue to believe that addiction is a health issue, not a criminal justice issue.

“We are building a more complete and comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care in B.C., including prevention, treatment and recovery, harm reduction and after-care. We have opened hundreds of new treatment and recovery beds, significantly reduced wait times for withdrawal management and prevented tens of thousands of overdose deaths through services such as Take Home Naloxone and overdose-prevention sites.

“At the same time, we are supporting police in focusing their efforts on the people who make and traffic toxic drugs and who bring violence, crime and suffering to our communities.

“People struggling with addiction are our friends, our family members and our neighbours. As the toxic-drug crisis continues to evolve, our response must evolve with it. We will continue learning, adapting and trying new approaches to turn the tide on this crisis and ensure people can get the care they need without fear, stigma or judgment.”

Quote:

Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner and commanding officer, BC RCMP –  

“The BC RCMP acknowledges that substance use is a health issue. With the end of the exemption, police officers can fully enforce and focus on the most serious offences within the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Police will continue to apply a measured approach to our enforcement efforts, while upholding the safety and security of the communities we live and serve in. We also remain committed to working with our partners to find solutions that ensure those with mental-health and addiction issues receive immediate and ongoing assistance.”

Learn More:

• To find mental-health and substance-use supports in your area, visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/  
• To find same-day care for opioid addiction, visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/blog/find-same-day-care-opioid-addiction
• To learn about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: https://gov.bc.ca/BetterCare

A backgrounder follows.