EDITORIAL – Oregon recriminalizes, B.C. doubles down on public drug use

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

THE B.C. COURT OF APPEAL has rejected a bid by the provincial government to let its Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act go into force.

So an injunction against enforcing the Act remains in effect, at least for now. Those who believe drug use should be allowed in most public places are celebrating the decision.

So let’s review the justification for removing restrictions on where illicit drugs can be consumed.

ONE. The theory is that the overdose death rate isn’t due to decriminalization but rather to the toxic drug supply. Therefore, the answer is to provide plentiful safe drugs.

TWO. The argument against restrictions on where illicit drugs may be consumed is based on the belief that if drug addicts consume in private, they have a greater chance of dying from an overdose.

THREE. The reason for giving the addicted the right to consume in public is that “irreparable harm” will otherwise be done to them.

A few questions.

How is it that we regulate consumption of alcohol and tobacco products in public but not the consumption of hard drugs?

Why are we allowed to ban consumption of illicit drugs on school grounds and in airports but not in other places commonly enjoyed by children and families?

Why should the use of an illicit substance trump public use of parks, beaches, and bus shelters? Wouldn’t supervised consumption sites be better places to consume hard drugs than, say, parks or sports fields?

What about harm to the public’s rights? Why should those who have contributed to the creation of common amenities also have to pay for the continuation of activities that exclude them from enjoyment of those amenities?

Why is it up to the courts to make such decisions, rather than our elected representatives?

And, finally, why is B.C. continuing with its failed decriminalization experiment when Oregon recriminalized possession of hard drugs this past Friday?

Please, let me know.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.