Canada to temporarily decriminalize certain drugs in British Columbia

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canadians in the Pacific coast province of British Columbia who possess up to 2.5 grams of illicit drugs for personal use will not be arrested or charged starting early next year as part of the province's request for an exemption from Canada's drug laws following a record number of overdose deaths.

The three-year exemption effective Jan. 31 will apply to drug users 18 and over and include opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA, also known as ecstasy.

Carolyn Bennett, the minister of mental health and addictions and associate minister of health on the overdose crisis, said Tuesday the federal government is granting the exemption because the "government is committed to using all available tools that reduce stigma, substance use harms, and continuing to work with jurisdictions to save lives and end this crisis."

The allowable amount of illegal substances falls short of the 4.5 grams requested by British Columbia, and was already deemed too low a threshold by some drug-user groups that have criticized the province for failing to adequately consult them.