YOUR PERSPECTIVE: Decriminalizing people and breaking down stigma

When it comes to tackling the tragic drug overdose crisis, our government believes we need to recognize it for what it is: a public health matter – not a criminal justice one.When people who are using drugs are afraid of being criminally charged, they are less likely to reach out for support and health care, and more likely to hide their drug use and use alone. Given the increasingly toxic drug supply circulating, using alone can all too often mean dying alone.People who are using drugs of