Canadian province tests decriminalizing hard drugs

OTTAWA: A Canadian province on Tuesday decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and other hard drugs in a radical policy shift to address an opioid overdose crisis that has killed thousands.

Adults found in British Columbia with up to 2.5 grams of these drugs, rather than face jail or fines, will be provided with information on how to access addiction treatment programmes. Police will also not seize their drugs. Sellers and traffickers of hard drugs, however, will continue to face criminal prosecution during the three-year pilot project.