As the provincial exemption to decriminalize possession of illegal drugs for personal use comes into effect on January 31, community partners in the qathet region are taking steps to make sure local substance users know what the changes mean for them.
“We want to make sure individuals realize that this is not true decriminalization,” stated Kathryn Colby, coordinator of the qathet Community Action Team (qCAT), in a media release.
The release stated that qCAT is a multi-agency coalition to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis in the community. Colby stated that drugs will remain illegal, but adults who have 2.5 grams or less of certain street drugs in their possession for personal use will not be arrested or charged.
“This is actually a very small amount and does not reflect the use patterns of daily substance users, particularly in rural and remote communities, so we do fear that people will continue to be directly criminalized for their substance use,” stated Colby.
The three-year provincial exemption to decriminalization was announced last spring, and runs from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026. Then-provincial minister of mental health and addictions Sheila Malcolmson stated at the time that decriminalization was one way to break down substance use-related stigma that stops people from accessing life-saving support and services, according to the release.
“Decriminalization is a good step in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go in terms of breaking down stigma,” stated Colby. “Thousands of frontline service providers and bereaved families are advocating for a safe drug supply, to immediately address the cause (a toxic drug supply) of the high rates of accidental overdoses we are seeing across the country. We are hoping people will immediately feel the pressures of stigma, criminalization and shame start to evaporate in British Columbia.”
As qCAT’s coordinator, Colby works with a team of community partners, including Vancouver Coastal Health, Tla’amin Health, City of Powell River, Powell River RCMP, people with lived experience, and nonprofit leaders across the region. The release stated that Lift Community Services acts as administration lead for the group, and oversees operations of qCAT’s initiatives, including the overdose prevention site and iOAT [injectable opiate agonist therapy] clinic.
“As we near the 31st, qCAT’s partners and Lift are working to make sure the folks in our community are aware of what this change really means for them, and what their rights are,” stated Colby.
The release stated that Lift has produced fact cards to distribute to community members and will be sharing additional education resources on social media.
