Montreal's public health director says she wants to follow in the footsteps of British Columbia, which will see the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs as of next year.
In an exclusive interview with Radio-Canada, Dr. Mylène Drouin, Montreal's public health director, said decriminalizing possession of small amounts of illicit drugs is needed in the city.
"We believe that [decriminalization] could allow consumers to use drugs in much safer contexts and avoid all the prejudice associated with judicialization."B.C.'s move is in direct response to a surge in drug overdose deaths in the province throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. B.C. saw 2,224 suspected toxic illicit drug overdose deaths in 2021 and more than 9,400 since 2016.
But Isabella Fortier, a member of Moms Stop the Harm — a network of Canadian families that advocate for decriminalization and a safe supply of drugs— said Drouin's words concerning decriminalization come too late and fall short. Fortier said Montreal can't wait to see the results of B.C.'s pilot project three years down the line to act.
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