resolutions

Sensible BC and End Prohibition are promoting two policy resolutions for the provincial NDP convention coming this fall.

The first policy resolution is about decriminalizing drug users in response to the overdose death crisis. The second is about amending the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act to get rid of the ban on allowing your legal cannabis plants to be seen in public.

If you are an NDP member or supporter, please bring both of these forward at your next local riding association meeting. This will ensure they are in the policy book and debated at the convention.

RESOLUTION TO DECRIMINALIZE DRUG USERS IN RESPONSE TO THE OVERDOSE DEATH CRISIS

WHEREAS the current overdose death crisis is the greatest public health emergency in BC history,

WHEREAS Dr. Bonnie Henry, the Chief Health Officer of British Columbia, has described decriminalization of drug users as "a fundamental underpinning" to ending the overdose death crisis, and recently called for the provincial government to "urgently move to decriminalize people who possess controlled substances for personal use" through an amendment to the Police Act,

WHEREAS the BC Centre on Substance Use, the BC Centre on Disease Control, the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, the BC Nurses Union, the Chief Coroner of BC, Vancouver Coastal Health, and the cities of Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, are among the many groups which are calling for immediate decriminalization of drug users by stopping arrests for simple possession of any drug,

WHEREAS the government of British Columbia and other provincial and municipal governments have previously used their jurisdiction to stop arrests and effectively decriminalize other activities, including impaired driving, operation of a medical cannabis dispensary, and possession of an unregistered long gun,

WHEREAS BC has the power to stop arrests for simple drug possession through an amendment to the Police Act,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC NDP support decriminalization of drug users through an amendment to BC's Police Act, instructing police to stop all investigations, searches and arrests for simple possession of any drug.

References:

Four ways BC can decriminalize drug users (Daily Hive) 

Top health officer calls on B.C. to 'urgently' decriminalize possession of illicit drugs (CBC)

Nurses call on B.C. to decriminalize drugs as ‘essential step’ to end overdose crisis (Global News)

RESOLUTION ON AMENDING THE BC CANNABIS CONTROL AND LICENSING ACT

Whereas the BC NDP believes in destigmatizing drug users and supports sensible cannabis laws,

Whereas the BC Cannabis Control and Licensing Act includes a maximum 90 days in jail and $5000 fine for allowing a legal cannabis plant growing on your own property to be seen from a public place,

Whereas a recent police raid in Revelstoke over 3 legal cannabis plants being visible to the public during a community Art and Garden event received a strong negative response from the public,

Whereas BC is the only province with such a provision prohibiting legal cannabis plants from public sight,

Whereas the BC Cannabis Control and Licensing Act also prohibits cities from licensing cannabis smoking lounges and outdoor cannabis events even if they wish to,

Therefore the BC NDP supports amending the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act to remove the prohibition on legal cannabis plants being visible from public places, and also to allow cities more flexibility in how they may choose to license and regulate cannabis lounges and cannabis use at public events.

References:

Four big problems with BC's new cannabis laws (Georgia Straight)

B.C. couple's home raided by RCMP after pot plants spotted on a charity garden tour (CBC As It Happens)

Residents in limbo after Revelstoke RCMP garden show cannabis plant raid (Revelstoke Mountaineer)