Close X
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canada ranks sixth in global drug policy index

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Nov, 2021 12:28 PM
  • Canada ranks sixth in global drug policy index

Canada ranks sixth in the world's first drug policy index, but experts say its passing grade is nothing to be proud of as status quo policies are doing little to curb thousands of deaths yearly.

The Global Drug Policy Index ranks countries on their drug policies against recommendations set by the United Nations on human rights, criminal justice and treatments.

The majority of the 30 countries included in the study received failing grades, with a median score of 48 out of 100.

Canada hit 56 out of 100, with a lot of points deducted for how its drug policies disproportionately target racialized people.

Donald MacPherson, director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, says while Canada is implementing some innovative approaches, such as harm reduction programs, it doesn't go far enough to address the toxic drug market and related harms.

More than 22,000 Canadians have died from accidental opioid poisonings since 2016.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Pandemic changed LTC views, survey finds

Pandemic changed LTC views, survey finds
The survey finds that just 18 per cent of respondents say their views haven't changed since COVID-19 hit, but about half of those surveyed say they now "dread" the thought of themselves or their loved ones being in long-term care.

Pandemic changed LTC views, survey finds

Canada to receive 5M doses of vaccine this week

Canada to receive 5M doses of vaccine this week
The federal government expects to receive enough doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week to fully inoculate all eligible Canadians. Ottawa is anticipating shipments of roughly five million doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week.

Canada to receive 5M doses of vaccine this week

Mary Simon installed as new Governor General

Mary Simon installed as new Governor General
Simon officially became Canada's 30th Governor General, and the first Indigenous person to hold the role, during a ceremony Monday morning.As she took her seat at the head of the Senate chamber, her husband, Whit Fraser, turned to her, took a small bow and then sat down next to Simon.

Mary Simon installed as new Governor General

Experts forecast health effects of wildfire smoke

Experts forecast health effects of wildfire smoke
While the longer-term health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke have yet to be thoroughly studied, linkages between disease, death and air pollution in general offer hints, said Dr. Courtney Howard, an emergency physician in Yellowknife.

Experts forecast health effects of wildfire smoke

B.C. wildfires: Cooler weather provides some help

B.C. wildfires: Cooler weather provides some help
Karley Desrosiers, fire information officer with the BC Wildfire Service, said 275 fires were burning Friday, down from about 300 earlier in the week.

B.C. wildfires: Cooler weather provides some help

112 COVID19 cases for Friday

112 COVID19 cases for Friday
B.C. is reporting 112 new cases of COVID-19, including six epi-linked cases, for a total of 148,842 cases in the province.

112 COVID19 cases for Friday