Canadian health advocates eye Portugal’s drug model to combat opioid crisis
OTTAWA — Canadian health-care experts, including B.C.’s provincial health officer, want the federal government to strongly consider Portugal’s approach to drug policy, including the decriminalization of personal possession.
Portugal’s model could benefit British Columbia, said Dr. Perry Kendall, noting his province has seen increased overdose deaths from illicitly produced fentanyl —a problem moving across Canada.
Portugal did not decriminalize all drugs in all circumstances, he said, noting the country’s approach removes the application of criminal law on personal possession for limited amounts while offering education and social supports.
“A lot of my colleagues have made recommendations that we should really look more closely at Portugal … to see if there might be a better, more productive way of addressing public safety issues and particularly … destigmatizing drug use,” Kendall said in an interview with The Canadian Press.