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WORLD NEWS Thursday 2 June 2022
Canada OKs drug decriminalization test in British Columbia

By JIM MORRIS and ROB experiment in British Colum-
GILLIES bia could serve as a tem-
Associated Press plate for other jurisdictions
VANCOUVER, British Co- in Canada.
lumbia (AP) — Canada’s “This time-limited exemp-
government said Tuesday it tion is the first of its kind in
will allow British Columbia to Canada,” she said. “Real-
try a three-year experiment time adjustments will be
in decriminalizing posses- made upon receiving anal-
sion of small amounts of ysis of any data that indi-
drugs, seeking to stem a re- cates a need to change.”
cord number of overdose Since 2016, there have
deaths by easing fear of been over 9,400 deaths
arrest by users in need of due to toxic illicit drugs in
help. British Columbia, with a
The policy approved by one-year record of 2,224
federal officials doesn’t le- in 2021. Vancouver Mayor
galize the substances, but Kennedy Stewart said he
Canadians in the Pacific gets emails every Monday
coast province who pos- on drug deaths, including
sess up to 2.5 grams of illicit nine last week and 12 the
drugs for personal use will week before. He said one
not be arrested or charged. Paramedics from B.C. Ambulance respond to a drug overdose in downtown Vancouver, week it was his own family
The three-year exemption Wednesday, June 23, 2021. member.“I felt like crying,
taking effect Jan. 31 will Associated Press and I still feel like crying. This
apply to drug users 18 and but it will make a differ- University who has a doc- 10-day supply of any drug is a big, big thing,” Stewart
over and include opioids, ence,” she added. torate in public health, said are usually sent to a local said.
cocaine, methamphet- Dana Larsen, a drug policy a regulated decriminaliza- commission, consisting of a The 2.5-gram limit set by
amine and MDMA, also reform activist, called the tion of drugs could help doctor, lawyer and social federal officials for the ex-
known as ecstasy. announcement “a step lessen overdose deaths. worker, where they learn periment falls short of the
“Stigma and fear of crimi- in the right direction,” but She said it would be good about treatment and avail- 4.5 grams requested by
nalization cause some peo- said he would prefer to for users to be able to ob- able medical services. British Columbia. The higher
ple to hide their drug use, see development of a safe tain drugs from “a regulat- In 2020, Oregon voted to amount already had been
use alone, or use in other drug supply. ed supply through various become the first U.S. state called too low a threshold
ways that increase the “It’s not going to stop any- models, whether that’s a to decriminalize hard drugs. by some drug-user groups
risk of harm. This is why the body dying of an overdose prescription model, a phar- Under the change, posses- that have said the province
Government of Canada or drug poisoning,” Larsen macy model, more of a sion of controlled substanc- didn’t adequately consult
treats substance use as a said. “The drugs are still go- compassion club model ... es is a newly created Class them.
health issue, not a criminal ing to be contaminated.” rather than going down to E “violation,” instead of a Sheila Malcolmson, Brit-
one,” tweeted Dr. Theresa “I think we need stores 7-Eleven and buying hero- felony or misdemeanor. It ish Columbia’s minister of
Tam, Canada’s chief pub- where you can go in and in.” carries a maximum $100 mental health, said fear of
lic health officer. find legal heroin, legal co- British Columbia is the first fine, which can be waived being criminalized has led
The province’s health of- caine and legal ecstasy Canadian province to ap- if the person calls a hotline many people to hide their
ficer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and things like that for ply for an exemption from for a health assessment. addiction and use drugs
said that “we are taking adults,” he said. “The real Canada’s drug laws. The call can lead to addic- alone.
an important step forward solution to this problem is In 2001, Portugal became tion counseling and other “Using alone can mean
to removing that fear and to treat it like alcohol and the first country in the world services. dying alone, particularly in
shame and stigma.” tobacco.” to decriminalize the con- Carolyn Bennett, federal this climate of tragically in-
“This is not one single thing Alissa Greer, an assistant sumption of all drugs. Peo- minister of mental health creased illicit drug toxicity,”
that will reverse this crisis professor at Simon Fraser ple caught with less than a and addictions, said the Malcolmson said.q
Report: China bars Russian airlines with foreign planes

BEIJING (AP) — China has Putin responded by ap- Chinese airspace.
barred Russia’s airlines from proving the re-registration The Civil Aviation Adminis-
flying foreign-owned jet- measure in March, which tration of China didn’t im-
liners into its airspace, the prompted suggestions for- mediately respond to a re-
Russian news outlet RBK eign owners may never re- quest for confirmation and
reported, after President cover planes worth billions details of the decision.
Vladimir Putin threw the of dollars. President Xi Jinping’s gov-
aircrafts’ ownership into China’s air regulator asked ernment said in February it
doubt by allowing them to all foreign carriers last has a “no limits” friendship
be re-registered in Russia to month to update owner- with Moscow but has tried
avoid seizure under sanc- ship information and other to distance itself from Pu-
tions over Moscow’s attack details, RBK said, citing tin’s war. Beijing has criti-
on Ukraine. two unidentified sources. cized Western sanctions
The European Union, home It said Russian airlines that but appears to be avoiding
to major aircraft leasing couldn’t provide docu- steps that might be seen as
companies, banned the ments showing their air- helping Moscow for fear of Aeroflot’s passengers planes are parked at Sheremetyevo
sale or lease of aircraft to craft were “de-registered possible penalties against airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
Russian carriers in February. abroad” were barred from Chinese companies.q Associated Press