Make a safer drug supply

The drug supply in Canada is tainted with fentanyl. That’s why Archie died. He and so many others did not know they were consuming fentanyl.

What could have kept Archie alive? While harm reduction strategies may have helped him, the real problem is that fentanyl is poisoning people. Archie’s death was a poisoning, not an overdose. We need policies that will prevent that.

One of the things we tell people who are using drugs to be safer is not to consume alone. But, users risk arrest and a criminal record if they are caught taking drugs. It’s pragmatically tricky to be open about using drugs.

Decriminalization of drugs is a key step that will allow those who use drugs and their allies to better control what they consume. Let’s say you can now use cocaine because it’s, once again, not a prohibited drug. That means you’ll be able to talk with people about it and look for good quality sources of the drug. You’ll be able to use cocaine in places where you gather with your friends and other people.

This is a challenging idea for many of us, but consider this: drug criminalization is not related to how harmful a drug is. In fact, the most harmful drug in many countries is legal and regulated: it’s alcohol.

The moralists might say just don’t do drugs, but people have been taking mind-altering substances throughout the ages. The moralizing only contributes to stigma; it doesn’t stop people from using drugs.

Criminalization and stigma go hand in hand. So long as people who use drugs have to hide, their risks of coming into contact with tainted drugs are unacceptable.

While decriminalization is the key first step to actually get control over this crisis, the actual turn around will only happen once we are able to make sure there is a safe supply of drugs in Canada.

Here are just some of the experts in Canada suggesting that decriminalization is needed now and that making the drug supply safe is the only way out of this.