Drug decriminalization in BC reduced police encounters for drug possession, with no changes in drug-related deaths
www.eurekalert.org
British Columbia’s drug decriminalization policy was associated with a substantial decrease in police encounters for drug possession, while neither decriminalization nor the subsequent partial recriminalization was associated with detectable changes in deaths due to drug toxicity or drug-related hospitalizations, found new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.260038.
  • Pxtl@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    2 hours ago

    I wonder how it would’ve gone if police hadn’t thrown up their hands and said “Oh I guess we’re not doing drug enforcement at all anymore”

    • Pxtl@lemmy.caEnglish
      2·
      2 hours ago

      The medical problem is downstream of economics. Housing Theory of Everything applies:

      High barriers to housing construction cause housing shortages.

      Housing shortages cause high rents.

      High rents cause homelessness.

      Homelessness causes drug addiction.

      Drug addiction causes overdoses.

      • Arfrar@lemmy.world
        2·
        2 hours ago

        Except for all the empty houses.

        High barrier to housing access is not due to construction regulations, just another symptom of capitalism.