"There are solutions and I think we're still working in the problem": The limitations of decriminalization under the good Samaritan drug overdose act and lessons from an evaluation in British Columbia, Canada.
Decriminalization
Drug confiscation
Drug trafficking
Good Samaritan drug overdose act
Marginalized populations
Police discretion
Journal
The International journal on drug policy
ISSN: 1873-4758
Titre abrégé: Int J Drug Policy
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 9014759
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
07 2022
07 2022
Historique:
received:
02
02
2022
revised:
20
03
2022
accepted:
25
04
2022
pubmed:
14
5
2022
medline:
29
6
2022
entrez:
13
5
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Drug prohibition has been associated with increased risk of overdose. However, drug prohibition remains the dominant drug policy, including in Canada with the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. In 2017, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA) was enacted, to encourage people to contact emergency medical services by providing bystanders at the scene of an overdose with legal protection for simple possession and conditions related to simple possession. We conducted an evaluation of the GSDOA in British Columbia, Canada that included one-on-one interviews with people who use illicit drugs (PWUD), to determine peoples' experiences and perceptions surrounding this form of decriminalization. We present findings from a thematic analysis of 37 interviews. We identified limitations of the GSDOA at overdose events; key themes and concerns causing PWUD to hesitate to or avoid contacting emergency medical services included drug confiscation, the thin line between simple possession and drug trafficking, and enforcement of other charges and court ordered conditions that are not legally protected by the GSDOA. Moreover, participants discussed the GSDOA as inequitable; benefiting some while excluding PWUD with intersecting marginalized identities. Our findings are pertinent in light of many jurisdictions across the world considering dejure decriminalization, including BC and Vancouver. The GSDOA and associated limitations that emerged in our evaluation can serve to guide jurisdictions implementing or amending dejure decriminalization policies.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Drug prohibition has been associated with increased risk of overdose. However, drug prohibition remains the dominant drug policy, including in Canada with the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. In 2017, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA) was enacted, to encourage people to contact emergency medical services by providing bystanders at the scene of an overdose with legal protection for simple possession and conditions related to simple possession.
METHODS
We conducted an evaluation of the GSDOA in British Columbia, Canada that included one-on-one interviews with people who use illicit drugs (PWUD), to determine peoples' experiences and perceptions surrounding this form of decriminalization. We present findings from a thematic analysis of 37 interviews.
RESULTS
We identified limitations of the GSDOA at overdose events; key themes and concerns causing PWUD to hesitate to or avoid contacting emergency medical services included drug confiscation, the thin line between simple possession and drug trafficking, and enforcement of other charges and court ordered conditions that are not legally protected by the GSDOA. Moreover, participants discussed the GSDOA as inequitable; benefiting some while excluding PWUD with intersecting marginalized identities.
CONCLUSION
Our findings are pertinent in light of many jurisdictions across the world considering dejure decriminalization, including BC and Vancouver. The GSDOA and associated limitations that emerged in our evaluation can serve to guide jurisdictions implementing or amending dejure decriminalization policies.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35561485
pii: S0955-3959(22)00133-5
doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103714
pii:
doi:
Substances chimiques
Illicit Drugs
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
103714Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declarations of Interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.