B.C. premier says public use rules should have been in place before decriminalization
VANCOUVER — British Columbia is preparing to ban most public drug use, a change to parts of its decriminalization pilot project that the premier says should have been in place all along.
The province has made an “urgent” request to Health Canada to make amendments to B.C.’s exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to give police the power to step in when they see illicit drug use in public spaces, including inside hospitals, on transit and in parks.
Premier David Eby said during a news conference Friday that police need tools to address extraordinary circumstances where people are compromising public safety through their drug use.
He said when decriminalization was first introduced, the focus was on removing the stigma and reducing the reluctance of people to reach out for help.