PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: In January 2023, British Columbia implemented a three-year exemption to Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, as granted by the federal government of Canada, to decriminalize the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. This decriminalization policy, the first in Canada, was announced in response to the overdose emergency in British Columbia as a public health intervention that could help curb overdose deaths by reducing the impact of criminalization and increasing access to health and social services through stigma reduction.
METHODS: The current multi-method study examines people who use drugs\' awareness and knowledge of British Columbia\'s decriminalization model through cross-sectional quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews among people who use drugs from September-November 2022, immediately prior to the implementation of decriminalization.
RESULTS: Quantitative findings show that two-thirds (63%) of people who use drugs were aware of the policy, but substantial knowledge gaps existed about the legal protections afforded (threshold amount, substances included, drug trafficking, confiscation). The qualitative findings suggest that people who use drugs misunderstood the details of the provincial decriminalization model and often conflated it with regulation. Results suggest that information sharing about decriminalization were minimal pre-implementation, highlighting areas for knowledge dissemination about people who use drugs\' rights under this policy.
CONCLUSIONS: Given that decriminalization in British Columbia is a new and landmark reform, and that the success of decriminalization and its benefits may be undermined by poor awareness and knowledge of it, efforts to share information, increase understanding, and empower the community, may be required to promote its implementation and benefits for the community.
METHODS: The current multi-method study examines people who use drugs\' awareness and knowledge of British Columbia\'s decriminalization model through cross-sectional quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews among people who use drugs from September-November 2022, immediately prior to the implementation of decriminalization.
RESULTS: Quantitative findings show that two-thirds (63%) of people who use drugs were aware of the policy, but substantial knowledge gaps existed about the legal protections afforded (threshold amount, substances included, drug trafficking, confiscation). The qualitative findings suggest that people who use drugs misunderstood the details of the provincial decriminalization model and often conflated it with regulation. Results suggest that information sharing about decriminalization were minimal pre-implementation, highlighting areas for knowledge dissemination about people who use drugs\' rights under this policy.
CONCLUSIONS: Given that decriminalization in British Columbia is a new and landmark reform, and that the success of decriminalization and its benefits may be undermined by poor awareness and knowledge of it, efforts to share information, increase understanding, and empower the community, may be required to promote its implementation and benefits for the community.
摘要：
背景：2023年1月，不列颠哥伦比亚省实施了一项为期三年的《管制药物和物质法》豁免，根据加拿大联邦政府的批准，将个人持有少量某些非法药物合法化。这项非刑事化政策，第一次在加拿大，为应对不列颠哥伦比亚省的过量用药紧急情况而宣布，这是一项公共卫生干预措施，可以通过减少定罪的影响并通过减少污名来增加获得健康和社会服务的机会来帮助遏制过量用药死亡。
方法：当前的多方法研究通过对9月至2022年11月非刑事化实施之前的吸毒人群进行横断面定量调查和定性访谈，检查了吸毒人群对不列颠哥伦比亚省非刑事化模型的认识和知识。
结果：定量调查结果显示，三分之二（63%）的吸毒者知道这项政策，但在提供的法律保护方面存在很大的知识差距(门槛金额，包括物质,贩毒,没收)。定性发现表明，使用毒品的人误解了省级非刑事化模式的细节，并经常将其与监管混为一谈。结果表明，关于非刑事化的信息共享是最少的实施前，强调在此政策下有关使用毒品的人的权利的知识传播领域。
结论：鉴于不列颠哥伦比亚省的非刑事化是一项具有里程碑意义的新改革，非刑事化的成功及其好处可能会因为对它的认识和了解不足而受到损害，努力分享信息，增进了解,赋予社区权力，可能需要促进其实施和对社区的好处。
方法：当前的多方法研究通过对9月至2022年11月非刑事化实施之前的吸毒人群进行横断面定量调查和定性访谈，检查了吸毒人群对不列颠哥伦比亚省非刑事化模型的认识和知识。
结果：定量调查结果显示，三分之二（63%）的吸毒者知道这项政策，但在提供的法律保护方面存在很大的知识差距(门槛金额，包括物质,贩毒,没收)。定性发现表明，使用毒品的人误解了省级非刑事化模式的细节，并经常将其与监管混为一谈。结果表明，关于非刑事化的信息共享是最少的实施前，强调在此政策下有关使用毒品的人的权利的知识传播领域。
结论：鉴于不列颠哥伦比亚省的非刑事化是一项具有里程碑意义的新改革，非刑事化的成功及其好处可能会因为对它的认识和了解不足而受到损害，努力分享信息，增进了解,赋予社区权力，可能需要促进其实施和对社区的好处。
