B.C. will decriminalize up to 2.5 grams of hard drugs. Drug users say that threshold won’t decriminalize them

published on June 3, 2022 by Michelle Ghoussoub in CBC News

British Columbia is set to become the first province to decriminalize possession of small amounts of illicit drugs — but drug users, advocates, and the province’s chief coroner warn the threshold of 2.5 grams set by the federal government ignores the hard realities of how people buy and use drugs in the province.

Canadians 18 years of age and older will be able to possess up to a cumulative 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA within B.C. as of Jan. 31, 2023.

The province applied for an exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in November 2021, with a threshold of 4.5 grams. The federal government lowered the threshold to 2.5 grams, citing feedback from law enforcement officials across B.C…