Toronto board of health to urge federal government to decriminalize drug use
TORONTO — The board of health in Canada’s most populous city decided Monday to push the federal government to decriminalize all drugs and is calling on Canadians to turn their recommendation into a national movement.
The board made the move after being presented with a report by Dr. Eileen de Villa, the medical officer of health, urging the city to call on the feds to treat drug use as a public health issue, rather than a criminal one.
“The only way that federal laws are going to change is if we provoke that national conversation,” said board chair Coun. Joe Mihevc, moments before an amended version of the recommendations was unanimously accepted.
“We will be the first to do it, but we can’t be the one and only,” he said.