Toronto board of health to consider report recommending drug decriminalization

Toronto’s board of health is set to decide today whether it will call on the federal government to decriminalize all drugs for personal use.

The board will be presented with a report by Toronto’s medical officer of health urging the city to call on the government to treat drug use as a public health issue, rather than a criminal one.

Dr. Eileen de Villa’s report recommends the board of health call on the federal government to “decriminalize the possession of all drugs for personal use, and scale up prevention, harm reduction and treatment services.”

De Villa says the report was triggered by the ongoing opioid problem that has swept the country.

In 2017, there were 303 opioid overdose related deaths in Toronto, which the report says marks a 63 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Health Canada says the government is not currently looking at decriminalizing or legalizing all drugs.