Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy to host panel discussion on decriminalizing drugs

The Wellington Guelph Drug Technique is internet hosting a digital panel dialogue Wednesday titled Help not Stigma: Decriminalization of Substances for Private Use that can see specialists focus on the impacts of decriminalizing drug possession for private use.

Among the many panellists can be Waterloo Regional Police Companies chief Bryan Larkin, Nick Boyce from the Ontario Hurt Discount Community and Ashley Smoke from the Ontario Community of Individuals who use Medicine.

The thought of decriminalizing medicine for private use just isn’t new, nevertheless current developments in Ontario have seen some communities shifting towards an open strategy to decriminalization.

In December, the Toronto Board of Well being voted to ask the federal authorities to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of unlawful medicine for private use.

Dr. Eileen de Villa, town’s chief medical officer, supported the concept and mentioned it was an important step in the direction of serving to those that use substances.

Whereas Guelph has not taken the identical route, Adrienne Crowder, Guelph Wellington Drug Technique (GWDS) supervisor, mentioned the change of standing for these substances would assist them entry the assistance they want with out vilifying them as unlawful substance customers.

“I don’t know what it might do to precise use, however what it might do is it might take the stigma off people who’re utilizing substances, so they might be extra seemingly to have the ability to come ahead and entry well being providers and entry different providers with out having to cover their substance use,” mentioned Crowder. “As a result of if what you’re doing is prohibited it’s not one thing that’s very simple to carry ahead and speak about together with your well being care supplier or another service supplier, so what it actually does most is change the stigma round the issue.”

The Wednesday panel dialogue will run from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. These attention-grabbing in becoming a member of the digital session can register here.