Fraser Valley/Vancouver/Victoria – On International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) is taking a moment of silence to remember the lives of our friends, family, and community members who have been taken too soon due to the toxic drug poisoning crisis. We acknowledge the grief felt by those honouring their loved ones who have died or have been permanently injured as a result of an increasingly toxic drug supply.
During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada saw a 96% increase in opioid toxicity deaths from the year before, and deaths continue to remain high.¹ Now, more than ever, the need for urgent drug policy change and greater public awareness is vital.
The BCCLA is demanding that all levels of government put health and human rights first by implementing progressive and comprehensive drug laws and policy, ending the criminalization and stigmatization of drug use, and expanding and scaling up harm reduction programs and measures, including an increase in safe injection and safe inhalation sites, and safe supply programs.
As the “Decriminalization Done Right: A Rights-Based Path for Drug Policy – a civil society platform on drug decriminalization – states, “Decriminalizing personal drug possession and necessity trafficking are fundamental, necessary steps towards a more rational and just drug policy, and away from our current anti-drug policies. It is a change that is long overdue.”
Together, we are asking for the full decriminalization of all drug possession for personal use, as well as the sharing or selling of drugs for subsistence, to support personal drug use costs, or to provide a safe supply.
Evidence clearly shows that a bold policy shift away from criminalization is desperately needed as people continue to die from the toxic drug supply at unprecedented rates. To support calls for decriminalization, read “Decriminalization Done Right: A Rights-Based Path for Drug Policy” and email shane_calder@sfu.ca to endorse the platform as an individual or organization or use the Google forms below to sign on:
Decriminalization Platform Sign-on (English)
Decriminalization Platform Sign-on (French)
[1] https://health-infobase.canada.ca/substance-related-harms/opioids-stimulants/
Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, has released the following statement on International Overdose Awareness Day:
“On International Overdose Awareness Day, people around the world remember those who lost their lives to the toxic drug crisis and use purple ribbons to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of substance use.
“Today is a day to mourn with the families and friends who have lost loved ones. This is an unimaginable loss to bear.
“That loss is shared by peer workers, paramedics, firefighters, police officers and all those on the front lines of this terrible crisis. I’m eternally grateful for your hard work and dedication during these trying times. You are saving lives.
“On International Overdose Awareness Day, we also put faces to the names of those lost with the hope of breaking down the stigma associated with drug use. Fear and shame make people hide addiction and use drugs alone, which is deadly. Addiction is a health condition.
“Increasing supports and reducing stigma is a key part of our government’s work to build a comprehensive and seamless continuum of mental-health and addictions care that works for everyone. It’s also why we are decriminalizing people who use drugs.
“While we have been adding treatment and harm-reduction services at an unprecedented rate, the increasing illicit drug toxicity has outstripped our addition of new overdose prevention services. Today and every day are reminders of the urgency of this work to save lives. We know there is more to do and we won’t stop working until we turn the tide on this crisis.”
