Following British Columbia’s announcement to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use, federal Justice Minister David Lametti said currently there won’t be a “larger discussion” on decriminalization across the country.
Lametti made the remarks just before Parliament is expected to vote on an NDP private member’s bill on a nationwide decriminalization of personal possession of illicit drugs on June 1.
On May 31, the B.C. government said the exemption is part of the response to an overdose crisis in the province. It applies to all adult residents in B.C. who are in possession of up to 2.5 grams of certain illegal drugs, such as opioids (including heroin, morphine, and fentanyl), cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA. The exemption will be effective from Jan. 31, 2023, to Jan. 31, 2026, according to a statement released on May 31….