Top cops call for decriminalization of personal drug use

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This article was published 09/07/2020 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Police chiefs in Canada have proposed to decriminalize the possession of street drugs, arguing not laying criminal charges for personal drug use can benefit public health and public safety.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police issued a report Thursday that recommends a national task force of police, justice and health officials be set up to look at drug policy reform. They say police should stop charging individuals for simple possession, but continue to target drug traffickers and organized crime. Decriminalization of drug possession, the association says, would mean people could be fined or face other non-criminal penalties.

The recommendations are included in the findings of the association’s committee on decriminalization of illicit drugs. The findings were approved by provincial police chiefs associations from September 2019 to March 2020, the report states.

“We must adopt new and innovative approaches if we are going to disrupt the current trend of drug overdoses impacting communities across Canada. Merely arresting individuals for simple possession of illicit drugs has proven to be ineffective. Research from other countries who have boldly chosen to take a health, rather than an enforcement-based approach, to problematic drug use have demonstrated positive results,” the report states.

The findings specifically mention decriminalizing methamphetamine and opioids. Police chiefs in Manitoba have yet to comment on the recommendations. In the past, Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth has supported the consideration of opening a supervised safe consumption site in Manitoba. The report notes there are 49 such sites across Canada.

National police association president Chief Const. Adam Palmer of Vancouver said in a statement Thursday that police officers are often the first point of contact for people dealing with addiction or mental-health issues, and that the police chiefs are recommending a health-focused approach.

“We recommend that enforcement for possession give way to an integrated health-focused approach that requires partnerships between police, health care and all levels of government,” Palmer said.

— with files from The Canadian Press

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police report