Yeah, that was an awesome idea... not.
It was like Mad Max around here, not in a good way either...
Overselling decriminalization led to loss of public support, says study author
When a drop in overdose deaths failed to materialize, the public lost confidence, which could hurt future efforts to try interventions, says researcher Daniel Myran.
“Overselling” the potential benefits of a pilot project to decriminalize possession of small amounts of hard drugs likely undermined public support, which may have lasting implications, says the co-author of a new study.
When the pilot project didn’t lead to a drastic drop in overdose deaths and injuries as expected, public trust was eroded, said Daniel Myran, a researcher, public health physician, and family doctor with an interest in addiction medicine.
“I think that we’re in an unfortunate circumstance where some of the social benefits that you might see through a reform in drug policy might be missed out on because public support has been eroded for policies of this kind,” Myran said in an interview.
Myran is the co-author of a study published this month in the Canadian Medical Journal on the impact of drug decriminalization and recriminalization on drug-related crime and health outcomes in B.C.
The study found decriminalization had no large or meaningful effect on overdose deaths or hospitalizations for opioids or stimulants.
In January 2023, B.C. introduced the three-year pilot to decriminalize possession of up to 2.5 grams of hard drugs, including opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA or ecstasy.
People carrying a personal amount of drugs were no longer arrested or had their drugs seized, but drug trafficking remained a crime.
The goal was to reduce overdose deaths of people using illegal drugs alone in their homes, to improve access to health and harm-reduction services, to reduce stigma, and to open more opportunities for treatment. It was an intervention long advocated for by health officials as well as B.C.’s chief coroner at the time.
But by May 2024, the government had partially recriminalized possession after public backlash about rampant use of hard drugs in public places, including parks, and accompanying street disorder. Possession of small amounts of drugs would only be allowed in homes and shelters, addiction clinics and overdose prevention sites.
When a drop in overdose deaths failed to materialize, the public lost confidence, which could hurt future efforts to try interventions, says researcher Daniel Myran.
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