Are there lessons for B.C. as Oregon tempers its decriminalization program?

Premier David Eby is sticking with British Columbia’s drug decriminalization plans, despite the fact one of the North American pioneers of the idea is thinking of walking back parts of its program.

Given its prominence in the headlines you might think B.C. was the first jurisdiction to decriminalize hard drugs, but that title actually belongs to Oregon.

The state decriminalized small amounts of hard drugs for personal use starting in 2021.

Late last year, Global News went to Portland to check on how the experiment was going, and the results appeared mixed.

2:26 Lessons from Portland about hard drug decriminalization

A year later, the state appears to be rethinking parts of the program.

“Let’s talk about Portland, about progress,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in a recent press conference.

“Because we’re having a moment of crisis can lead to drastic change.”

Kotek made national headlines this week with the announcement that next year she wants rules to ban public use of hard drugs.

Oregon is also seeking more powers for police to go after drug dealers and distributors.

If passed, the legislation would amount to a substantial walk-back of the state’s pioneering decriminalization program.

“I think it’s a really prudent move, to be honest,” BC United opposition critic for Mental Health and Addictions Elenore Sturko said.

“I think people’s hearts were in the right place but I think the emerging evidence we’re seeing is that it has not been entirely helpful and there have been unintended consequences, we’re living with that now.”

2:41 Checking in on Oregon’s hard drug decriminalization, as B.C. draws closer to its new laws

Despite the apparent change in political attitudes in Oregon, Premier David Eby said Thursday B.C.’s program already addresses many of the concerns its Cascadian neighbour is now moving to address.

“The sale of illicit drugs in British Columbia has always remained criminalized. We did not follow Oregon’s approach in that regard,” Eby said.

“Similarly, many of you will know that this past legislative session we introduced a new law that restricts public consumption of illicit drugs out of parks, not in the doorways of businesses, not at bus stops.”

Eby said his government is also giving police officers new tools to get people into safe consumption sites operated by the province.

But advocates for drug users argue there aren’t enough sites, especially for safe inhalation.

While Oregon’s model is different from B.C.’s in some ways, one similarity is the supposition that by reducing the stigma of criminality drug users would be more likely to seek treatment and less likely to die.

But data from Oregon’s public health department so far doesn’t appear to confirm that.

Last year, Oregon recorded more than twice as many deaths from overdoses than the year before its decriminalization initiative came into effect.

While it seems clear that some in Victoria are watching the Oregon example, Global News was unable to confirm by deadline whether anyone in the government had actually been to Oregon to see firsthand what’s happening there.

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