It’s Not So Simple: The impact of simple drug possession and trafficking offences on health equity builds on research demonstrating the many harms resulting from laws and policies that punish people who use drugs by specifically examining the consequences of recent shifts in how police and prosecutors pursue and lay drug possession and trafficking charges.
This report features firsthand accounts of what is happening in our communities and makes clear that the everyday practices of people who use drugs are often captured as trafficking, especially for those with precarious access to housing. This means that, despite legal and policy changes meant to reduce the harms of drug prohibition, people who use drugs continue to experience constant surveillance, negative law enforcement interactions, and unwanted involvement in the criminal legal system.
Furthermore, this research makes clear that Canada’s ineffective drug laws and policies are causing tremendous harm to entire communities by compromising individual and public health. Not only does their enforcement create barriers to people accessing health care services, but fracture relationships with trusted networks of support, erode trust with healthcare providers, and contribute to the volatility and unpredictability of the unregulated drug supply.
Executive Summary
Full Report