Calls to decriminalize drugs grow louder in Simcoe County & Muskoka
A new report provides additional context into the ongoing struggles of opioid-related overdoses in Simcoe County and Muskoka.
'Decriminalization: Humanizing our Communities' is a new report commissioned by the John Howard Society of Simcoe & Muskoka, the Indigenous Harm Reduction Network, Gilbert Centre and the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition.
The organizations behind this new report are united in their calls for decriminalizing drugs to address the growing problem of fatal overdoses. Health officials now say one person dies every few days due to this in Simcoe County & Muskoka.
"There's a lot of really great best practices that come from other parts of Canada regarding how people who use drugs should be engaged in these conversations," says Sarah Tilley, the Gilbert Centre's harm reduction program manager. "However, having this local report of people who are actively living, working, playing, using drugs in Barrie is going to put a more local spin on it and will help to better advocate from a local perspective."
The report is based on two days of consultations with various stakeholders in Oct. 2021, including many substance users themselves. Tilley says their insight is critical as their voice is often neglected in these types of reports.
"So it's been known for a long time that people who use drugs should be part of the policies around people who are using drugs," Tilley says. "So hopefully, that's something that will influence our current political leaders as well as social service providers and medical personnel who are living and working in this community and living and working with people who use drugs."
The report says that decriminalization will "address the social stigma associated with using criminalized substances."
The move to decriminalize would also alleviate many concerns users have with interacting with police and seeking treatment from the healthcare sector. Some contributors to the report suggest drug users are 'red-flagged' when in hospital.
"Treat people with kindness and compassion because, with kindness and compassion, people feel safe to reach out for help when they are ready, and they are more likely to," says Cathy Eisener, a nurse with the Simcoe Muskoka District Public Health Unit.
Several unintended delays led to the report not being released until today, well over a year after consultation first began.
But officials say its release now, just a few months after a municipal election was held, can provide added context to people not aware of the steps taken so far.
"As we move into a new political climate in Barrie with a new city council, I think that this report can be a great first step in introducing people to the issue who maybe haven't been a part of it since maybe the first supervised consumption site application went in," says Tilley.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.