The opioid crisis is hard to solve. Partisan politics isn't making it easier

The epidemic of opioid addiction is a real problem. And there is a real difference of opinion between Liberals and Conservatives about how the federal government should be responding to that crisis.

But there is also a lot of noise. With drug addiction already a hard issue to solve, partisan politics tends to make it even harder.

At the moment, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is claiming the government has a «secret plan» to «legalize» hard drugs across the country. But what he's referring to doesn't seem to be «secret» and isn't really a «plan.» (Nor, for that matter, does it involve legalizing hard drugs — as there is a significant difference between decriminalization and legalization.)

The basis for Poilievre's claim is a story published by Blacklock's Reporter, an Ottawa media outlet. According to that report, published on Monday, a federal document used the phrase «national decriminalization» and said the government was prepared to «use all tools at our disposal» to combat the opioid epidemic.

Three hours after Blacklock's promoted its story on social media, Poilievre pointed his own followers to it.

«BREAKING: Secret documents show that the NDP-Liberal government has a hidden plan for 'national decriminalization,» Poilievre wrote.

In the days since, Poilievre has repeated similar claims in five more posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) and four posts on his Instagram account. Prominent Conservative MPs Andrew Scheer and Melissa Lantsman made similar posts to X, while the Conservative party sent out a fundraising message to supporters on Tuesday that claimed a «secret memo» had been revealed.

«Chip in and help common sense Conservatives ensure Canada doesn't turn into one massive drug den,» the email read.

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