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Yesterday I did a thread about BC party platforms and the overdose crisis. The very next day the Greens put out a new platform, so, here goes another one. Let's start with the phrase "opioid crisis"--not great! Implies the kind of opiophobia that got us here!
It might seem like a semantic thing, but calling the overdose crisis an "opioid crisis" reveals a deeper philosophical issue: people aren't dying because of opioids. They are dying because of a dangerous illicit drug supply. The solution is, actually, regulated opioids!
The Green Party says they will expand "safe supply," which is a thing that we desperately need and do not have. Their policy doesn't mention prescription heroin or fentanyl. I don't know why they think the NDP's new prescribing guidelines are ACTUALLY a safe supply. They're not.
The "safe supply" plank does obliquely reference @DrMtyndall's vending machine project and consulting with the college of physicians. That's because doctors have proven to be very reluctant gate-keepers to life saving medicines. This hints at some awareness, but it's squishy.
The next plank is to "enhance funding for harm reduction services," which is the kind of thing you might come up when given a week to write a platform, I guess. But this obviously doesn't demonstrate any kind of facility with frontline health care interventions.
The final plank, decriminalization, uses the phrase "simple possession," which implies that "possession with intent to traffic" etc are non-starters. This is a totally false dichotomy that reflects a pretty shallow understanding of on-the-ground drug war enforcement in Vancouver.
The truth is, a lot of drug war policing is informal. Cops confiscate drug users' drugs and money. They harass them. But they're not usually looking to make arrests for simple possession. When they do, they can sometimes round up to possession with intent, etc.
All of this still makes people use drugs quickly, while hiding, and fleeing from cops. It makes them want to avoid an OPS if there's a cop car parked outside. That kills people. So "de-prioritizing" simple possession will likely not change much on its own.
I am not going to redo all the tweets about the NDP's platform, because it hasn't changed. Suffice to say, the policies are similar to the Greens, but they've also thrown in a bunch of other dangerous drug war ideas. So the Greens seem marginally better but still disappointing.
Oh, and, one more thought on the problem with the phrase "opioid crisis"--we desperately need a safe supply of cocaine and meth as well. The crisis is, clearly, all of the fucking death. Not all of the drugs. Policy makers need to purge these drug war concepts from their minds.
For the record here's some thing I wish was in the party platforms:
- regulated, on-demand supply of Rx equivalents to illicit drugs. With no attempt to limit euphoria, inebriation, etc.
- major investment in peer-run OPS', with professional salaries and benefits.
- regulated, on-demand supply of Rx equivalents to illicit drugs. With no attempt to limit euphoria, inebriation, etc.
- major investment in peer-run OPS', with professional salaries and benefits.
- A commitment to legalize drugs, including the trafficking and selling of drugs. The way to fight dealers is to undercut their business with your safe supply.
- Amnesty and reparations for victims of the racist drug war.
- new addiction training programs for doctors.
- Amnesty and reparations for victims of the racist drug war.
- new addiction training programs for doctors.
- a DEEP commitment to building dignified public housing that is not contingent on abstinence.
- a review of BC's "recovery homes" to ensure they comply with proven, evidence-based standards for reducing overdoses and drug related harm.
- a review of BC's "recovery homes" to ensure they comply with proven, evidence-based standards for reducing overdoses and drug related harm.
And, I'm sure most people reading this list will think "yeah right, dream on." So long as you craft your politics against what elites tell you is possible, you're right. But I think we ought to craft them based on what would actually save lives. This list would help a lot.
Anyway, in summation, I can't be totally sure yet, but I might just draw a snowman on my ballot this time. I can draw a pretty cool snowman. And think what a treat that will be for some lucky election official.
