The First Nations Health Authority has issued a statement responding to the B.C. Health Minister’s recent comments on the status of the province’s decriminalization pilot project.
In its January 14 statement, FNHA says it respects that there are multiple approaches to addressing British Columbia’s toxic drug public health emergency. However, the authority says it is disappointed it was not engaged as a health system partner in decisions that it believes will disproportionately affect First Nations people, families, and communities.
FNHA emphasizes that substance use is a health issue, not a criminal one, and says decriminalization was designed to reduce stigma and discrimination faced by people who use substances. According to FNHA, stigma can drive people to hide their drug use and use alone — a dangerous practice given the increasingly toxic drug supply.
The authority says reducing stigma is a key component of building a comprehensive mental health and substance use care system in the province. FNHA continues to support compassionate, trauma-informed, culturally safe, and voluntary approaches that meet people where they are in their wellness journey.
FNHA also highlights that First Nations people remain disproportionately impacted by the toxic drug crisis and overrepresented in the criminal justice system. The statement points to the ongoing impacts of colonialism, including intergenerational trauma, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, child apprehension, and broader social inequities, as contributing factors.
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