Stable patterns, shifting risks: the impact of British Columbia’s decriminalization and recriminalization policies on drug use behaviours
Decriminalization did not significantly alter drug use behaviours but offered notable psychological relief for participants. The subsequent recriminalization amendment then reversed these perceived gains, illustrating how this abrupt policy change led to unintended consequences, undermining the original goals of the decriminalization policy. These findings highlight the need for sustained and structurally supported effective policy approaches that center the lived realities of people who use drugs.
Authors
- Farihah Ali (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2968-3824)
- Andrew Ivsins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0305-0455)
- Matthew Bonn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6406-0171)
- Geoff Bardwell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3368-7681)
- Cayley Russell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9634-9554)
- Jürgen Rehm
- Savannah Torres-Salbach (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6144-3580)
- Juls Budau
- Jordan Mende-Gibson
Institutions
- Clark College (US)
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- University of Waterloo (CA)
- Universität Hamburg (DE)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CA)
- Canada Research Chairs (CA)
- Mental Health Research Canada (CA)
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (CA)
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
- Public Health Ontario (CA)
- Sheridan College (CA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Harm Reduction Journal
- Published
- 2025-10-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01322-9
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.06
Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research