Ford calls drug decriminalization a ‘nightmare’ that will ‘never’ happen in Ontario

Drug decriminalization is an “absolute nightmare” that will “never” happen under Ontario’s Progressive-Conservative government, Premier Doug Ford says.

Ford made the comments to reporters on Friday amid a national debate over the policy, which was recently rejected in Toronto by the federal government.

“It’s an absolute nightmare. It would be a disaster,” Ford said.

“As long as I’m premier, we’re never going to decriminalize hardcore drugs.”

Ford cited British Columbia as an example, which recently recriminalized the use of drugs in public places following a pilot project that sparked public and political blowback.

British Columbia’s pilot project began in January 2023, but this spring’s reversal came after B.C. Premier David Eby expressed concerns about an “escalating situation” regarding public safety. This January, B.C. chief coroner reported a new record high in overdose deaths for 2023, the first year of decriminalization: at least 2,511 lives lost.

Eby said that escalating situation included concerns about drug use in hospitals, and public places like restaurants. He concluded the changes were needed after the attorney general said a legal battle over the province’s own attempt to legislate restrictions on public drug use could be tied up in court for at least a year.

“Addiction is a health issue, it is not a criminal law issue, and that principle is what the entire decriminalization project was about,” Eby said.

“But that compassion, that concern for people who are struggling does not mean that anything goes. We still have expectations around safety, public spaces, in the coffee shop, on the bus, in the park, on the beach.”

Ford praised Eby on Friday, saying he was “so proud” of the premier for reversing that “big