The BC government says it’s trying to balance empathy and safety in new legislation aimed at tackling the province’s public drug use problem.
In a press conference Thursday Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says new legislation will try and balance concerns about public safety with empathy and support for people dealing with drug addiction.
“The toxic drug crisis is taking too many lives, and it’s hurting people and communities in our province,” he says. “We know that addiction is a public health matter, and it should be treated as such. We’re doing everything we can to keep people alive and connect them to the care they need while fighting the shame and stigma of addiction. And although we’ve moved away from treating people who use drugs as criminals, that doesn’t mean it’s OK for people to use drugs in public places, particularly in places where kids may be.”
Farnworth says the new legislation is in response to concerns raised by municipalities across the province, including Campbell River, which amended its public nuisance bylaw this summer to try and grapple with the growing problem of public drug use since possession of hard drugs was decriminalized province-wide in January.
Premier David Eby says the new proposed laws will allow police to redirect people using drugs to overdose prevention sites, and prohibits drug use in most public places.
“Parks need to be safe for people to go with their kids. Businesses need to be able to stay open, and people need to be able to take the bus without anxiety,” he says. “It never was about, and it cannot be about, using hard drugs wherever you’d like.”
The legislation proposes banning drug use within 6 metres of building entrances and bus stops, and at parks, beaches and sports fields. It also bans drug use within 15 metres of outdoor facilities for children, including playgrounds and skate parks.
