Item - 2018.HL28.2

The Board of Health:

1.  Called on the federal government to decriminalize the possession of all drugs for personal use and scale up prevention, harm reduction, and treatment services.

2.  Called on the federal government to convene a task force, comprised of people who use drugs and their families and policy, research, and program experts in the areas of public health, human rights, substance use, mental health, education, and criminal justice, to explore options, including best practices and equitable measures, for the legal regulation of all drugs in Canada, based on a public health approach.

3.  Directed that the report (June 28, 2018) from the Medical Officer of Health be forwarded to the following for their information and endorsement:

a.  Ontario-based public health boards, the Boards of Health in the 10 largest Canadian cities, the Ontario Public Health Association, the Association of Local Public Health Agencies, and other appropriate public health bodies; and

b.  key organizations of families of drug users and users of drugs.

The Manager, Toronto Drug Strategy, Toronto Public Health, gave a presentation on Public Health Approach to Drug Policy.

Around the world, governments are considering different approaches to drugs. Some countries are decriminalizing drug use and possession, while others are legalizing and regulating drugs. In Canada, it will soon be legal for adults to purchase cannabis for personal use. Some health officials and others are calling for changes in our approach to other drugs, especially in the midst of the current opioid overdose crisis.

The Toronto Overdose Action Plan recommended that Toronto Public Health (TPH) conduct a community dialogue on what a public health approach to drug policy could look like for Canada. TPH worked with a diverse steering committee to advise on project materials and process. Ipsos Public Affairs was contracted to facilitate community sessions, conduct interviews with people who use drugs, and to host an open online survey and a representative general public survey on this topic.

The evidence on the health and social harms of our current criminalization approach to illegal drugs, as well as that of alternative approaches such as decriminalization and legal regulation, strongly support the need to shift to a public health approach to drugs in Canada. The community dialogue process confirmed that Torontonians agree the current approach is not working, and we should treat drug use as a public health and social issue, not a criminal issue. Further, a shift in drug policy needs to be comprehensive. Not only do Canada’s drug laws need to be changed, but we need to scale up prevention, harm reduction, and treatment services to ensure we can provide the supports that people require.