‘It was set up to fail’ B.C.’s drug decriminalization pilot program will not be renewed, health minister says

Experts and advocates say the province’s decriminalization pilot lacked the social supports needed to succeed. Though the pilot is not being renewed, it will not affect the protections offered by the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act. Drug decriminalization has been implemented in many countries, with the effectiveness varying greatly depending on the approach. After over a decade, according to a report from the Drug Policy Alliance, there was no major increase in substance use. With no single drug policy solution available to address the toxic drug overdose crisis, experts say many factors are needed together to bring success.