Police want a lower limit
The Canadian Press – June 2, 2022 / 13:36 | History: 370761
Photo: The Canadian Press
Carolyn Bennett spoke at a press conference in Vancouver on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. The Minister for Mental Health and Addictions said that the decision of the federal government on the threshold for decriminalization of drugs in British Columbia is based on the contribution of police. THE CANADIAN PRESS / Daryl Dyke
Carolyn Bennett, the Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, says the federal government’s decision on the threshold for decriminalizing drugs in British Columbia is based on contributions from police.
British Columbia drug users with up to 2.5 grams of illicit drugs for personal use will not be arrested or charged next year.
The threshold does not reach the 4.5 grams required by the province and has been criticized as too low by some advocates, who say established drug users usually carry more.
Bennett said in an interview that the government has received information from law enforcement agencies across the country, including the BC and RCMP police agencies.
She says law enforcement has shown that about 85 percent of the drugs seized are less than two grams.
The minister says the government will closely monitor whether people continue to be charged or have their drugs confiscated if they carry more than 2.5 grams.
The British Columbia Police Chiefs Association was not immediately available for comment.
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